Black Sheep
by A True Radical Dreamer
Summary: AU. Uchiha Naruto, son of Rin and Obito, tries to find his place in life. However, with a crazy teachers like Gai and Anko, will that place be where he wants it? Naruto/Anko, Abandoned.
1. Eye of the Beholder: Remix

I originally posted this chapter as an idea I had while writing Bushido no Jutsu, my first Naruto fiction. Eventually, it survived the massive cuts and additions over the years and has become my most well-received story. This rewrite is long overdue and I feel I owe the Black Sheep fans much more than I can give. This is for you guys. New edition started on 2/13/08.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or massive rewrites!

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**Chapter 1: Eye of the Beholder**

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"Obito…" A young man leans down over a fallen comrade. Even though half of his face is covered by a mask the emotion is conveyed through his eye. Right beside the half-blind ninja stands a young blonde girl. She's trying to hold in her sobs but it's not working. The dying boy is trapped underneath a large bolder with only half his head exposed, the end for this particular shinobi is ever-approaching and his comrades know it. 

His breath hitches as his single red eye swivels over to the man nearest to him. There is a sad, but yet accepting, expression on his face as he rasps, "Kakashi…I just remembered…I didn't get you anything…as a present," There is a pause as he hacks up spots of blood. Despite the pain, though, he presses on. "This Sharingan of mine...I want you to defend the village with it."

The girl standing off to side has finally regained some measure of composure and manages to walk over to her fallen teammate with minimal effort. Cracking a painful smile, Obito looks up at the only woman he had ever loved and ran his shaky fingers along her own as she clasped his hand. "Rin, I want you to take this eye of mine and make Kakashi whole," the young man requested. Not looking away from Rin's face, Obito continued, "Kakashi, don't just defend the village...protect Rin. Please, for me. You...you could do a better job, I know you can..."

With that, Obito took a deep breath and raised his head enough for the young medic-nin to begin the procedure. Although the pain and loss was evident on her face, Rin's hand never quivered as the delicate treasure that so many had fought over was given freely. Now blind, Obito closed his empty socket and did his best to hang on for just a little longer.

"Hey, Rin," Obito called out after the young medic's hand found his once again, "take care of everything for me...our child, too." There was a look from Kakashi and although the Uchiha couldn't see it, he joked, "Heh, I was...good for something. But Rin...don't let him become an Uchiha. They'll rip out his soul and turn him into a monster."

"I will," Rin promised. "I don't know where we can go, maybe back to my clan, but I will raise him well...please, hold on. Minato-sensei will be back soon, then we can-"

Obito's finger over her lips silenced the emotional girl. "It's too late for that," he whispered. His voice was still as warm and tender as always, but it was fading. "Hey, come on, don't worry about it. Kakashi, go out there and get that guy for me...alright?"

Kakashi could hear the Jounin gearing up for another jutsu and grimly nodded. As he leapt out of the hole, Rin looked after him but Obito's laugh shifted her attention.

"Heh, he'll be fine...Rin..." the Uchiha rasped. "Just...look after him...alright? I know you will...he would have been a better father, right? Sorry...you had to settle...too much sake, I thi-" This time it was Obito who was silenced.

Rin looked down at the funny, irritating, spectacular young man laying beside her. For years he had dropped subtle hints but she had turned him down. Nicely, of course, but still. She didn't know what it was, maybe just one subtle rejection too many, but Obito was there with a shoulder to cry on and more. But yet...yeah. She was sure. "Obito," Rin started, "I've...always liked Kakashi. Always. But you...I couldn't imagine a more amazing person to be the father of my child. That will never change, Obito. I want a future, our child's future, to be full of people like you."

With a sniff, the young Chuunin tried to laugh but only a happy sob came out. "You couldn't have...said something like that the day you found out? I lost a tooth when you punched me..."

This was the strange scene Kakashi intruded back in on. A crying Rin and chuckling Obito. "I...I dealt with him but reinforcements are going to be here soon. We...we have to get Obito out of here, Rin. Help me move this bolder and we'll-"

"No...!" Obito's harsh cry cut off his teammates. "You two...have...to get out of here...now..."

Rin looked over the large rock and took a deep breath. Obito was right, his entire body would be crushed. It was miraculous that he's been conscious as long as he was. "Kakashi, we-"

"**Doton: Retsudo Tenshou!" **The ground suddenly started to quake beneath the group as a group of Iwa-nin outside started their jutsu. With rocks falling all around him, Kakashi leaned into the hole with his arm out. "Rin! We've got to go!" he called out in a panic.

Obito slapped away Rin's hand when he felt her not moving. "Time...to go. Don't forget...you're not just living for yourself anymore..." With only one last look back, Rin leapt up at Kakashi's arm. Now alone, Obito smiled sadly, only allowing such emotion to come out away from his teammates, as the small enclosure collapsed around him.

Due to a great deal of luck, Kakashi and Rin managed to escape behind the cloud of dust created from the cave in. Although he knew that the large group of Iwa-nin would soon track them, Kakashi opted to stop for a moment on a high tree branch to catch his breath. Suddenly, a noise from behind caught their attention and Kakashi found himself staring into the eyes of a cocky Iwa-nin. Rin pulled a kunai as the man started to talk, but Kakashi motioned for her to run.

"You are in no condition to fight, Rin," Kakashi wheezed, ignoring his opponent's speech as he started doing seals. The blonde was about to argue with him when she was blinded by the bright chakra surrounding her teammate's hand. The noise was deafening; it was as if thousands of birds were chirping throughout the forest. Rising to his feet, Kakashi stated, in a low voice, "I can't let you fight, Rin. Obito would haunt me forever if you...or his child were hurt." The Jounin managed to smile even as several rock-nin leapt at them from a nearby tree. The last thing he heard was Rin yelling out and a bright blonde flash running across his vision...

_**Eight Months Later…**_

"Only four months after I take office and something like this demon attacks. I really have the worst luck don't I, Kakashi?" Minato asked his guest with a humorous chuckle.

The pair were currently sitting in a field hospital on the outskirts of Konoha. Several days ago, a report came in from the boarder of Fire Country that shocked Konoha to its very core; the Nine Tailed Fox had awakened. That alone was cause for immediate concern but what was even more pressing was that it was headed straight towards the village. Forward lines were set up at the direction of the new Hokage and things were as ready as they would ever be.

ANBU, however, was trying to draw the beast away from the village but all their attempts had failed. Now the entire ninja population of the village was out in force willing to give their lives to stop the onslaught.

"Well, you're luck is about as bad as Rin's I'd say." Kakashi said with a smirk. Rin, happy but annoyed, hit the Jounin with her pillow. Kakashi sighed and scratched the back of his head while the Hokage snickered. "What? Only you would have your kid on the day of a demon assault. Even worse is that you're now stuck in a field hospital because you were too stubborn to stay in the village."

"You know I can't just sit back in the village while my old teammates are fighting that thing! Even my child wanted to help so he decided to meet you all sooner, that's all," Rin responded as she stoked the little puff of blonde hair on the child's head. The Fourth leaned over the bed to get a good look at the kid.

"So...what are you going to name him? I'm guessing you and Obito at least talked about it when you first found out you were pregnant." At the mention of the fallen Uchiha, both Rin and Kakashi grew quiet and the Fourth immediately knew he screwed up. After several moments, a torrent of cries broke out from the child and Rin gently rocked him back to silence.

"Well, I thought of a family name for him. My clan didn't approve of me having the child and Obito didn't want his family involved so they don't even know." She took a moment to smile at her son. He had quieted down and was looking around the room with his bright blue eyes. "Uzumaki. I think Obito would have liked it so I decided on that as his family name." Kakashi and the Fourth looked up at the young woman who was smiling at her child with varying degrees of surprise.

"Kushina... She would be happy," the Fourth said as he looked at the small child. His late wife would have been so happy to be a godmother and someone to carry on her family's name. He was certain it would die out ever since Whirlpool was destroyed.

Rin looked over at Kakashi with solemn eyes. "Kakashi,I would like you to name him. I know Obito would have liked that." The Jounin looked shocked. He was about to protest when a ninja ran into the hospital screaming for the Hokage. Immediately Kakashi, Rin, and the Fourth looked up.

"What is it?" the blonde Hokage asked once he waved the man over.

"I-I-I-It's the Kyuubi! It's attacking faster than we thought, it will be here within the hour!" the man said.

"Damn it! It wasn't supposed to be here for another day! Jiraiya was going to be here soon to help me deal with it..." the Hokage sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked over at Kakashi with stern eyes. "Kakashi, until Jiraiya gets here you'll have to help. Go to the forward lines and tell them to prepare to meet the beast. We can not let it get near Konoha!"

Kakashi nodded and started to head out of the hospital with the Yondaime but Rin caught his hand as he walked by. Be careful, Kakashi. I don't want you or sensei to die..I can't lose anyone else," Rin said, solemn.

Kakashi smiled and patted the baby on his head. "We won't. This is a good thing; I'll have time to think up a good name for the kid. Once the fighting starts, stay here and be safe," the Jounin called back as he jogged out of the large tent, following the Yondaime. Rin could hear the camp buzzing to life as hundreds of shinobi prepared to have their own meetings with destiny but right now the only thing on her mind was her son...and her family that was marching off to face the demon.

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"Well, this sucks," Kakashi mused as he watched the Kyuubi simply walk through the first line of defense.

The demon had ripped into the forest surrounding the Hidden Village of the Leaf with wild abandon. Its eyes were glazed over and the killing intent rolling off of it froze the defenders until the Fourth managed to calm them down. Now, the Hokage was trying to buy some time atop one of his summoned animals.

Gamabunta was fending off the fox's tails with his massive katana and random ninja were launching hundreds of jutsu at the beast. The only attacks there were even making the beat flinch were coming from Gamabunta; most of the casualties so far were from ninja that were getting to close to the massive fox and getting crushed under-foot. Kakashi's group was somewhat lucky, they were mostly seasoned Chuunin who knew better than to throw themselves in the path of such a monster.

Suddenly, the fox got in a hit with one of its tales and sent Gamabunta flying. The massive quake that erupted from the frog hitting the ground made most of the ninja topple over in shock. Kakashi was starting to get a bad feeling when he looked over at where the fox was. Its tails were swishing in the air and the killing intent tripled, sending weaker ninja into a panic. It was glaring at a now-downed Gamabunta.

_'Great, if he goes down no one will be able to stop that thing.' _The Jounin sighed and pulled up his hitai-ate, it was time to get serious. Although, Kakashi wondered exactly what he was going to do against something that massive...

_**Back at the Hospital…**_

A few minutes earlier, a massive quake shook the tent that was currently housing the few wounded ninja that made it back alive. Rin, although still recovering, was helping wherever she could. Of course, there was only so much one could do you were taking care of a newborn child. The wounded were streaming in with various tales of personal horror. From what Rin could gather, things were not going well. She was working on a man with a broken leg and managed to catch something in the way of news from his shell-shocked ramblings.

"T-t-t-the last thing I saw was that demon fighting the giant frog! One of its tails hit and then the thing fell over! What the hell are we supposed to do now that the Fourth is dead?-" Rin stopped mid-treatment and looked down at the man in shock.

"No...no!"She backed away from the man and hit into another bed. The woman sitting in it winced at the shock and cursed. Slowly, Rin got a hold of herself and turned on the young woman currently cursing at her. She had purple hair and was wearing an odd half-outfit made of fishnet. In a flurry of emotion, the blonde medic looked over at her bed where her child was sleeping. "Minato-sensei...Kakashi...I can't lose anyone else!" Decision made, Rin grabbed onto the shoulders of the wounded girl to get her attention.

"Listen to me!" Rin yelled at the young girl, cutting off her protests, "That child over there, look after him for me! I'll be back after I check on some people at the front!" Before the stunned Genin could argue, the medic-nin was already sprinting out of the tent. With a sigh, the wounded teen hobbled over to the bed the baby was sleeping in, wondering just what she should do.

She felt the ground quake yet again as a deafening roar erupted from the front lines. Everyone stopped talking as they listened to the cry. Even the grouchy teen cringed. The child started to cry and her attention was back on her tiny charge. She hesitantly sat on the bed and held him with her one good arm. "Stop crying, you little monster! You don't have anything to worry about; your mom will be back soon." The girl paused as if thinking that over for a moment before continuing, "Well, if she doesn't get stomped flat first. Don't worry, until she does come back you'll have Anko-sama to look after you!"

The baby stared at her and Anko could have sworn she saw its eye twitch before it crying even louder than before.

_**A Few Moments Ago…**_

"_**Chidori!" **_Several of Kakashi's men shielded their eyes from the attack. His hand had gathered an incredible amount of pure chakra in it and the noise was deafening. Still, most of the squad looked hesitant to follow their leader into the fray.

"Listen to me," Kakashi called out, "I'm going to go distract the fox long enough for the Fourth to get Gamabunta back on his feet, understand? Stay out of my way and keep launching jutsu at him, aim for the head. Don't worry about hitting me, just focus on landing hits that will do some damage."

Not bothering to wait for a conformation, Kakashi darted forward. He tore though the ranks sending various shinobi jumping out of the way of the Chidori but his aim was focused on one thing and one thing only.

The Kyuubi loomed over a fallen Gamabunta as a tiny blonde blur started to gather a massive amount of chakra. The fox scoffed at the human; as if anything could possibly harm it. Focused as it was on the Hokage and the frog, that the beast didn't even notice the large chakra source running up it's leg until the thing was on it's back. The demon didn't pay much attention to the quick human as it attempted to swat the tiny eyesore with one of its tails.

To its shock, the fleshy thing dodged its tail as if it knew it was coming and ran along the fox's spine. Looking over its shoulder, the Kyuubi was mildly curious at the amount of chakra the human had managed to gather as it sped towards his head. A sudden shift from the front brought the fox's' attention back to the massive frog who had now returned upright. Great, just when it had gotten the amphibian on the ground. Opening its mouth, the Kyuubi started to gather a ball of chakra large enough to destroy not only the frog, but most of the surrounding forest as well. Just as it was about to fire, a sheering pain shot through its ear, causing the massive creature to shake its head violently. That damned human had punched a hole through its ear!

"**Damn you, human! I'll grind your bones for that!"** the beast growled as it watched the frog catch the object of its hate. Although the small hole was instantly repaired, the wound had still hurt.

Minato caught his rattled former student once the Kyuubi had tossed the poor Jounin. "Idiot, now you've got its attention on you," he sighed. The Hokage was grateful for the distraction, though.

"Well, I just happened to be in the area," the silver-haired nin said as he sat up on the massive frog's head. Gamabunta had a smirk on his face as he looked at the bijuu currently glaring in his direction.

"W**ell scum, you have just signed the death warrant for everyone in your pathetic village,"** The Kyuubi growled as it started to suck in breath for an even larger attack than before. Gamabunta immediately ran at the demon but the beast was no longer playing around; it used its tails to swat the creature away as white-hot fire erupted from it's mouth, heading straight for the mass of ninja launching weak attacks at it...

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"Bring me the wounded!" Rin shouted into the decimated ranks of shinobi before her.

The new mother had just arrived at the front and was treating anyone that was wounded. She had asked where Kakashi was and was told he ran off to fight the Kyuubi directly, the idiot. Rin was about to take off after him when a man had started screaming for a medic-nin. Her inner doctor won out and she was now tending to the wounded. In the middle of trying to heal a ANBU's leg, someone tripped over her in a rush. She was about to yell at the man when she saw what he was running from. The Kyuubi was launching a massive fire attack and it was barreling towards the line. She saw Gamabunta struggling to right itself but there was just no way it could get on its feet in time. Sighing, she mearly stood to watch the massive maw of fire baring down on her rather than flee helter skelter like those around her. At the last moment, she noticed two figures clinging to the top of Gamabunta's head and smiled.

"Kakashi, Minato-sensei...I'm glad you're still alive. Please watch after my son for me...I'm going to catch up with Obito," Rin whispered to no one in particular. A look of peace was set on her face as the fire engulfed the line, instantly cremating all those caught in it.

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"NO! You monster, there where hundreds down there!" Minato yelled as he watched the line of fire engulf a wide swath of the front line. Kakashi was seething beside him as he charged up another Chidori. The Fourth grabbed his shoulder and shook his head. "You'll be killed if you try that stunt again," he hissed. Kakashi couldn't remember ever seeing his Sensei this disturbed. "I have a plan, though. Go and get Rin's baby, I need him for this," he ordered with a determined expression.

Kakashi, though, looked at the Hokage as if he were insane. "Why the hell do you need him?-! I can't bring him to a battlefield!" the Jounin yelled. The look from his sensei shut him up. It was both painful and determined; the look of someone that had an ace up his sleeve. "...fine, I trust you know what you're doing," the Jounin responded as he leapt off of Gamabunta's head. Smiling at his former student, the Yondaime started doing a long string of hand seals. His frog summons shifted its eyes away from the angry demon fox for a moment and grunted. He knew those seals.

"You aren't going to use that jutsu, are you? You'll die, you know that," Gamabunta said as one of the Kyuubi's tails was fended off with its giant katana.

Minato nodded. He more than anyone knew the price of this particular fuuin. "It's the only way to win now. This beast is so powerful, even the regular jutsu won't be enough. I'm going to have to modify it," the Hokage said as he ran though the sixth seal.

"...fine. I'll hold this whelp off until you get done. It was a good fight, Minato," the massive frog said as he slashed at the fox with his sword, trying to drive it back a bit. Gamabunta frowned as the Yondaime finished the jutsu with the ninth seal.

"**Fuuin Jutsu: Shiki Fuuin**_**!"**_theYondaime yelled. He started to glow with a eerie light as the Kyuubi watched with disdain. A fancy light show.

"**What good do you think that will do? If anything it makes me notice you more. Not exactly a subtle target,"**the Kyuubi sneered. The Fourth met his gaze and said nothing. The demon narrowed his eyes as a shadowy figure appeared behind the blonde human. It's mouth hung open as he recognized the form; it was death itself. **"You don't have the stones for it, mortal,"**the giant fox responded. It was steadily becoming more worried, though, despite its assertion.

"Mif this life of mine can save the village, I will gladly give it up. Be sealed!" The young adult screamed as a titanic hand made of ethereal mass plowed through his chest, clutching the Kyuubi. While it tried to escape, Gamabunta managed to hold onto it while the burning soul of the bijuu was ripped from the living world.

In a cloud of smoke, the massive form of the fox lord disappeared from the battlefield, leaving an odd calm in its wake. The Fourth looked down at his stomach and the seal that was now embedded on it. Even though the beast was gone, this was only temporary. He didn't have the life force necessary to hold such a beast. Kakashi had to hurry if this was going to work...

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

Kakashi sprinted towards the field hospital, ignoring the cries from the few that had survived the Kyuubi's fire attack. They needed treatment but there was nothing he could possibly do about it. Passing medic-nin, he rushed into the tent and ran to the bed where Rin and her son were supposed to be. What he found was a purple-haired girl holding the crying baby and no Rin in sight.

"Where's Rin?!" Kakashi asked in a hurry. Anko shot him a glare that could silence the dead and the Jounin calmed down a little. "What are you doing, Anko? Where's that boy's mother?"

"She left him in my care, something about going to save your sorry ass. Ran off to the front and left her noisy brat with me," Anko huffed. When Kakashi fell to his knees and turned white, the Genin wondered what was wrong. "What's with you?" she asked, slightly unnerved.

"Now she's gone," Kakashi whispered to himself. He was shaking as he pushed himself off the ground. Anko was about to ask again what was going on when she noticed several drops of water hit the ground. Oddly, they were coming from his left eye. It was as if it were crying by itself. "Give me the child, Anko. The Yondaime ordered me to get him." Anko looked down at the sleeping boy. So, his family was gone now as well. She rubbed his face before handing the baby over to the copy-nin.

"Don't let anything happen to him, you got that Kakashi?" Anko demanded as Kakashi walked away. The Jounin stopped and turned back to the woman with a look that gave even her pause. It was the most fierce look of determination she had ever seen.

"Nothing will happen to this child while I draw breath," Kakashi stated as he ran off into the burning battlefield.

For a moment, Anko looked after him before laying back on the bed in a huff. "You better hope nothing happens to him, Kakashi. He's a cute little brat," she said as she rested her eyes.

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"How are you doing, Minato?" the giant frog, Gamabunta, asked his summoner. The Hokage was lying on the ground with a high fever. He knew his time was almost up.

"Heh, pretty good considering I have a demon running loose inside my head," Minato responded, "You should hear some of the stuff he's saying about you."

"**Worthless being, I'll crush you and your village to dust! The frog clan too will not escape my wrath!"**a booming voice called out from the dark recesses of the young man's mind.

"_I would like to see you try. Somehow I don't think you'll be around too much longer." _

The demon seemed to calm itself a bit at that. Minato could feel something akin to smugness coming from the creature. "**I am a greater demon, you scum. My soul is what gives me my power once you die I'll break your weak seal and devour your precious city."**

The young Hokage was now a bit worried. He knew the jutsu wasn't 100 fool-proof, but that is what the revision was for. For it to work, he would need a newborn baby. Something with an astounding life force to contain this demon and slowly sap its power. Finally, Minato's tension drained away as he saw the familiar shape of Kakashi run over to where he was lying. What was better is that he was holding the savior of Konoha in his arms.

"Minato-sensei! I've brought the child as you commanded." Kakashi held the boy out to the blonde man but became nervous and started looking around. "Where is the Kyuubi? Did you kill it?"

Yondaime coughed up some blood and rubbed the babies head, waking him up. His crying caught Gamabunta's attention and the massive beast leaned down to look at him. "You could say I killed the Kyuubi. It is sealed at the moment, but this child is the key to Konoha's survival. My chakra is low, though. Lend me a soldier pill so I can live long enough to do this thing."

Kakashi eyed his sensei but nonetheless handed him a red pill from his pouch. After taking it, the Hokage sat up and held the child. Biting his thumb, he began to draw runes on the boy's stomach while giving out instructions. "Kakashi...I don't have much time to explain this. The Kyuubi is not completely destroyed. I have to make a stronger seal to keep him under control until he fully dies. I myself am but a shuttle. If I die now, the Kyuubi will be restored and everyone dies. I have to seal him in something full of life energy, something young, so that he will merge with his vessel." Kakashi's eyes grew wide as the Fourth finished the runes. "This child…is a hero. He will play the part of the demon's jailer. Let the people know of the sacrifice of this boy and tell all of this to Rin, alright?"

"...of course," Kakashi lied. It was obvious that his sensei was on his last leg and any stress would just kill him faster. Yondaime smiled and started doing hand seals. A few hundred seals later, the spiral on his stomach started to glow red hot. A roar of wind swept over the battlefield as a chakra storm erupted from the Hokage. A killing intent far greater than anything Kakashi had ever seen froze him in place as a stream of red lanced from his teacher to his nephew. It was blinding.

"**You human scum! One day I'll be free of this seal and you will die. I am immortal, I am power incarnate! You will never be rid of me!" **the demon howled as it was being ripped from the Yondamie's body. Inside, as the cage for his prison was being built, something else stirred...something that helped the process along by binding the Kyuubi's chakra as it came in. Once the entire essence was moved, the force left, leaving nothing but an empty shell of a prison and prisoner in its wake...

Unknowing of the events transpiring inside, Minato smiled and tumbled over, completely spent. Kakashi scooped up the child and wrapped him back up after eying the new spiral seal on the boys' stomach. Amazingly, it was a multi-part elephant seal. So very complex for the amount of time spent on it. Kakashi leaned down and felt for a pulse on his fallen teacher. As he had expected, there was none.

Above him, Gamabunta sighed. "And so goes the strongest ninja in this world," the massive frog mused as he sheathed his sword. He was about to leave for his own dimension to rest, but decided to ask a question before leaving. "What is that whelp's name? I think I want to remember it." Kakashi looked into the boys' blue eyes and smiled. Rin decided on the family name, so Obito would have picked this one. Something simple...yet powerful.

"His name is Uzumaki...Naruto and he comes from a strong line of proud shinobi..."


	2. Honky Tonk Women

Hurrah! The second chapter in my most excellent story! Next up after this is the new chapter of 'Genesis Reborn' then on to 'Sounding in the Dark'; I just love this writing thing. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Naruto is owned by someone else, someone who needs to write me into their will...(starts to plot)

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**Chapter 2: Honky Tonk Women**

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"So, this is the child Kyuubi was sealed in?" an elderly Sandaime asked. Hatake Kakashi, young Jounin and only witness to the Fourth's death, was currently standing in the Hokage's office with a small child in his arms. Since the Fourth was dead, Sarutobi had decided to come out of retirement to keep things in order. When Kakashi nodded, the old man sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I feel sorry for him; he was born with a great weight on his shoulders. Does he have any immediate relatives?" Kakashi winced. He knew how Obito and Rin felt about the Uchiha's knowing that Rin had Obito's child, but he couldn't just lie to the Hokage. His sensei had put great trust in the man and Kakashi would have to do the same.

"Naruto…is the son of Uchiha Obito." Kakashi continued when the Hokage raised an eyebrow. "Obito didn't want this family to have any contact with his son; it was his last request…his and Rin's." Kakashi knew he was laying it on a bit thick, but unless he did something drastic Naruto would be handed over to the Uchiha clan. The Hokage looked thoughtfully down at the child and took a puff from his pipe.

"Hmm…well, if it was their last will and testament, I can't ignore their wishes. I do recommend that once the child is older he be told of his true family. Well, I'm sure we can find someone to take care of him; after all, he is the hero of the village." the aged Hokage said with a smile as he patted the baby on the head. Naruto grabbed at the Hokage's hands with a smile. Kakashi thought this over for a moment before shaking his head.

"I don't think the village should find out about Naruto being the demon's jailer." Sarutobi looked up at the Jounin with an analyzing eye.

"And why should we deny the village their savior? The boy is a hero; he should be treated as such." the Hokage said before taking a seat at his desk. Kakashi resisted the urge to groan; sometimes the Sandaime could be so dense.

"Do you really think the village will accept that? Are you sure they will see Naruto and not the Kyuubi?" Kakashi asked. He didn't want to make it seem like the Hokage was being naïve, but sometimes the man could give people too much credit. Sarutobi sighed deeply before looking over the baby still in Kakashi's arms.

"So, who will take care of him? I know you can't since you're trying to get into ANBU and as you said, Rin is gone. Her clan didn't even want her to keep the child; we can't let them raise him." Both Kakashi and the Hokage racked their brains for a possible solution before Kakashi spoke up.

"Well…he could stay with you until he gets old enough to live with me and be able to look after himself when I'm not there. I can look in on him in between missions before then as well; besides…" Kakashi looked down at the little blonde who was currently flailing his arms at the old Hokage. "I think he's taken a liking to you." the Jounin said with a smirk; not that anyone could see it. The Hokage thought this over for a moment.

"I'll have even less time than you to spend with him, you know that." he countered. Kakashi shrugged but he could tell the man was wavering. _Just a bit more…_

"You're the Hokage; you can afford a few helpers. I think it would be good for him to have a bit of a family before he starts to live on his own. Like you said, he is a hero…" The Hokage took a deep breath and nodded while Kakashi mentally cheered. _Hatake: 1, Hokage: 0._

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"I have a mission for you, Fugaku-san." the Third said to the man in his office, he pushed a file over to the shinobi. "In that file is the information. It's an A-Class mission, I hope you can…" Before the Hokage could finish, a little blonde boy ran though the door to the office and over to the aged Hokage.

"Ojiisan!" the boy exclaimed. The Hokage sighed but still turned to the blonde child. His guest only looked on with mild curiosity; the boy didn't look to be more than four or five.

"Yes Naruto, what is it?" the elderly man asked. No matter what the boy did, he couldn't stay angry with him.

"I wanna start at the academy this year!" the blonde declared. Fugaku smirked as he listened to the Hokage groan; it seemed this wasn't the first time the boy had brought this up.

"Naruto, you can't start yet, you're only five years old. You can start next year with the other kids your age." the man argued. This had come up more and more since Kakashi had shown the boy a simple jutsu; kids and their toys…

"But Uncle started when he was my age! He told me so!" Naruto started to pout now. _Of course Kakashi did; that man does not understand how children think._

"Hokage-sama, my son Itachi entered the academy early, you remember him don't you?" Fugaku said. Sarutobi shot him a glare that said 'are you trying to encourage him?' The man stifled a grin. Naruto took this opportunity to corner the old man.

"See, Ojiisan? Other kids got to enroll early!" Naruto exclaimed. Thoughts of demoting a certain masked Jounin flew through the Hokage's head. He didn't want to expose the boy to the world so soon. Being enrolled in the academy would also mean the boy was becoming an adult in the eyes of the village; once that happens Kakashi would get him. Over the last five years the aged Hokage had gotten very attached to his adopted grandson but he had to admit; with his daughter getting married soon he would have to limit his time with the blonde boy. One deep sigh and a nod later, a very happy Naruto was jumping around the office.

"Well, you should go talk to Kakashi-san about getting ready. I'll do the paperwork this afternoon for your enrollment." he turned to an innocent-looking Fugaku and glared. Naruto looked over at the man who had just helped him on his crusade to convince the Hokage. He walked over to him confidently and studied his face.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Who're you?" he asked. The Hokage's eye started to twitch at the boy's lack of manners. He could only image how much worse he would get from living with Kakashi. Fugaku smiled a bit at the boy.

"I am Uchiha Fugaku; it's good to meet you." he said. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man's face leavingFugaku to wonder what was wrong.

"You have…scary eyes." Naruto said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why are they so red? Uncle has one eye like that but he keeps it covered." Fugaku thought for a moment on who the boy's uncle could be. It was common knowledge that Uzumaki Naruto was a war orphan so his true family hadn't been known and he could only think of one person with a single Uchiha eye.

"Ah, you're talking about Kakashi-san. Well, my eye is red because of my Uchiha blood. It's just a genetic trait. Also, our blood limit is less-noticeable against our eye color. Enemies are less-likely to figure out we're Uchiha if they can't see the Sharingan." Fugaku explained. The Hokage was silently happy at this development; Naruto was getting a lesson on his own history and blood limit from one of the most powerful members of his clan without either of them knowing it.

"The…Sha-rin-gan?" Naruto questioned as he struggled to say the new word. The man sighed a bit before continuing.

"Yes, the Sharingan. It's the special ability of the Uchiha clan. I'm sure you'll learn about it at the academy and Sasuke could tell you about it as well; he's my son." the man said with a bit of pride. Naruto nodded and looked back at the Hokage.

"Wish I had some cool blood limit like that!" Fugaku smirked at the boy while Sarutobi tried not to laugh. How ironic that the very Sharingan Fugaku was so proud of could manifest in the boy in front of him.

"Well, Naruto. I was in the middle of a meeting with Fugaku-san so could you please go play with Kakashi? Your birthday is coming this week and I'm sure he has some kind of surprise for you. Also, make sure he also gets your equipment for your first day of class; you start in two weeks." Naruto's face lit up and thanked the aged Hokage profusely before charging out the door of the office.

"Out of curiosity, what gift does Kakashi-san have for him?" the Uchiha asked before going back to the mission folder. The Hokage smirked and puffed his pipe.

"I have no idea. I'm sure Kakashi will come up with something for the boy." At the entrance to the Hokage Tower a certain silver-haired Jounin sneezed as an aged Hokage and an amused clan leader had a laugh at his expense…

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_**

"Uncle Kakashi!" a loud shout was all the warning the Jounin received before he was tackled by a young blonde-haired boy. "Guess what! Ojiisan said I could start at the academy in a few weeks! I'll be the same age as you were when you started!" the boy said happily. Kakashi smiled under his mask.

"Well, that's quite an accomplishment, Naruto. I guess we should celebrate, eh? I'll take you to Ichiraku's for some ramen." the masked Jounin said as he pried the boy away from him.

"Yeah! You can give me my secret present after we eat! Is it really good?" Kakashi flinched.

"Er…what secret present?" Kakashi asked.

"No use hiding it! Ojiisan said you had something special for my birthday!" the blonde informed the man as the pair walked away from the Hokage Tower.

"Did he now…" Kakashi deadpanned. _I'll get that old man for this…_ "Well, we have to get you a weapon set for your first day at the Academy, right? You can have your present then." _Gives me a bit of time to think about it…_ The two walked along the busy streets of Konoha getting greetings from some of the people. More often than not, young women were glaring at the silver-haired Jounin for reading his Icha Icha Paradise book out in public. As they neared the ramen stand, Kakashi noticed someone who he hadn't seen in a few weeks.

"Hey there, Iruka." The teenager that was eating a bowl of ramen turned to look at the man who called him. Kakashi smiled and sat down next to the boy. "Haven't seen you in awhile, how's it going?"

"Kakashi-san, I wasn't expecting to see you here." Iruka said as he took another slurp of his ramen. He eyed the short blonde boy struggling to get into the high stool next to the Jounin. "Ah, who's the kid?"

"This is my nephew, Naruto." the man said with a smile. He turned to Naruto and pointed to Iruka. "This is Iruka; he'll probably be your teacher at the academy in a few years." Iruka scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Ha, that won't be until after I get to Chuunin. The exams are in a few days, you know." Kakashi nodded. That was the reason he had some free time in the village; he managed to convince the Hokage to give him some time off to attend.

"Yeah, it's good that the exams are going to be here this year; the next time Konoha will host will be in about…seven years I think." The teen studied the young blonde again. He didn't know Kakashi had a brother or sister and thus didn't think he had a nephew, not to mention the boy looked nothing like the Jounin. Kakashi seemed to notice Iruka's confusion so he decided to clear it up.

"He's my adopted nephew, Iruka. Anyway, Naruto and I might go see the exams; another friend of ours is participating." Naruto looked over at his Uncle in confusion. He wracked his brain trying to think of someone he knew that could qualify as a Chuunin. Kakashi watched the boy wondering when he would figure it out.

"You mean Hebi-chan!" Naruto gave Iruka an apprising look. "No way you can beat her in a fight…" he trailed off. Kakashi stifled a laugh at both the nick-name and the boy's lack of faith in the Genin; Iruka was just annoyed.

"Naruto, you really shouldn't judge a person based on how they look. Remember to 'look underneath the underneath.' Anko-chan may be stronger, faster, smarter, and more devious than Iruka here, but hey, he might get lucky!" The Jounin said. All three people sat in silence while Iruka's eye started to twitch uncontrolably. "Umm…anyway, why don't we order go ahead and order? I'll have one bowl of miso ramen."

"Yeah! I'll take two bowls of beef ramen!" the happy blonde yelled. The old man smiled before heading to the kitchen to start their orders. Iruka tried to start a new conversation; one which did not question his combat abilities.

"So, how's ANBU? I heard you made captain, that's quite a feat at your age, right?" Kakashi smirked.

"Well, it's hard work but it pays well. I might have to get out of ANBU soon though; I'll have to have more free time now that Naruto is living with me." Kakashi said with a bit of a sigh; he quickly replaced it with amusement when he noticed Naruto's expression. "Oh? You didn't know? You're going to live next to me in my apartment complex when you start at the academy; you'll have your own place."

"Really?-! All right!" the boy cheered throwing his hands up in the air. Even Iruka had to laugh at the kid's enthusiasm. The old ramen cook brought out their orders so Naruto stopped his celebration long enough to eat.

"So, do you have a plan for the exam, Iruka?" Kakashi asked between bites. Even looking strait at the man you couldn't see his face when he ate; it scared the heck out of Naruto and Iruka.

"Uh, I was planning on getting some last-minute training in. I think the main threat will be Anko-chan like you two said. As long as I put on a good showing it doesn't matter if I win or not. Besides, my fist match isn't against her; thank Kami-sama." the teenage Genin said. Naruto giggled to himself; no one could beat Anko-chan.

"What do you mean 'as long as I put on a good showing'? Don't you have to win to be promoted?" the blonde asked. Kakashi shook his head.

"Nope. If you demonstrate Chuunin-level intellect and skill, even if you lose your match, you can still be promoted. It's not about who's the strongest or who knows the best jutsu; a Chuunin is a commander so he has to show competence." Kakashi explained. Iruka nodded his head and adjusted his hitai-ate

"Yeah, Kakashi-san is correct. Oh, you guys said you had to get equipment for your first day at the academy, right? The 'Twin Dragon' shop is having a huge sale on some stuff they got by accident. I think they got an order from Hidden Grass and the owner is trying to unload the stock. Anyway, I have to get going; the training grounds aren't going to be open forever. Oh, could I get you to train with me a bit before the exam?" The Jounin nodded. After waving to the pair and paying for his meal, the Genin headed off in the direction of the training grounds. Paying for their meals, Kakashi and Naruto headed over to the shop Iruka had mentioned.

"Wow…" the blonde said as he looked over the stock. This shop had everything in it; kunai, shuriken, soldier pills, smoke bombs, everything! While Kakashi was talking to the owner, Naruto ran over to a long chain hanging on a hook in the corner of the store. The owner noticed the boys' interest and walked over with Kakashi.

"Oh, I see you like the kusari-fundo. We got it by accident from Hidden Grass. I wanted to give it back to our supplier, but he wouldn't take it. That's the last time I trust him; we're buying our stuff from the blacksmith in town from now on." the man said. Kakashi looked the weapon over; the chain on it was about 7 feet long with iron weights at each end.

"Well, we'll take that one too." The man said with a smile. Naruto spun around to look at him and barley held in his excitement. "I did promise you a birthday gift, right? We can get a book on how to use it at the library; I know I saw one there somewhere." In all, Kakashi purchased a set of kunai, shuriken, a pack of soldier pills, a pack of smoke bombs, ankle pouches for the kunai and shuriken, and the Kusari-Fundo. The Jounin could fell the emptiness of his wallet as he walked out of the store with the young blonde in toe.

"Ok, now we get you some new clothes." the Jounin said as the pair walked down the main street of Konoha. The boy looked down at what he was wearing and scoffed.

"What's wrong with what I have?" the boy asked. He was wearing a large black tee shirt with orange sweatpants. Kakashi looked him over and sighed.

"Well, I guess it's not too bad for now, but you're going to have to wear something less flashy once you get to the more advanced lessons in the academy. Right now we can start moving you to your new apartment, all right?" the Jounin caved. Naruto nodded and started to run off towards the Hokage mansion with Kakashi lazily following.

The great move commenced the following day. Most of what the boy owned, which was mostly ramen products and toys, was moved across town to the apartment complex Kakashi lived in. Naruto's new home was right across the hall from the silver-haired Jounin and was a simple apartment; a bedroom, kitchen, and small living room and a small bath. From the living room you could see the Hokage monument out of the large bay window. Kakashi and the Hokage 'donated' some simple furniture to the boy and he was well-adjusted after the first two days. Naruto spent most of his time at the Hokage tower or with Kakashi so he always had something to do. With the help of his Uncle Kakashi he mapped out a small training regiment that mostly consisted of weapons practice; kunai, shuriken, and** k**usari-fundo. One week before Naruto would start the academy, Kakashi had decided to attend the Chuunin exams. He and Naruto headed out to the large arena where the matches would take place. There were thousands of people there; some from Konoha but most from foreign nations. Kakashi used his pull to get seats where the main clans usually sat; front row.

"Wow...these are great seats, Otooji! How did you get them?" Naruto asked once he and Kakashi found their seats. The Jounin laughed and pointed to his vest.

"I am an elite Jounin and a good friend of the Hokage; there are certain strings I can pull." he said as his eye pulled up in a smile. Naruto looked at the people around him and spotted a familiar face a few seats over.

"Fugaku-san!" the boy yelled while waving. The man in question turned around to look at the boy and seemed confused for a few moments before recognizing him. Kakashi looked wearily at the Uchiha clan leader.

"You're Naruto, correct? Here for the Chuunin exams I imagine." the man said as he walked down the aisle to speak with the boy. He looked at the man sitting next to Naruto and his slight smile fell. "Kakashi-san, it's good to see you here as well."

"Yes, I thought it would be a good chance to show my nephew what an advanced ninja battle would be like before he started the academy next week. We have a few friends competing also." the Jounin said in a lazy tone. A small boy poked his head out from behind the Uchiha clan leader and looked at who was talking. Naruto noticed him and smiled.

"Hey! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, who're you?" the blonde asked. The other boy stepped out from behind the man and smirked.

"Uchiha Sasuke. You said you were starting the academy this year? You don't look much older than me…" the raven-haired boy started. Another boy who looked to be a few years older walked up to the group.

"Sasuke, don't judge people based on their age. Just because he doesn't look as old as you doesn't mean he isn't skilled; a shinobi can not make such assumptions." the older boy said with a smile. After laughing at Sasuke's scowl, he turned to the blonde. "Forgive my brother. I am Uchiha Itachi, you are…?"

"Uzumaki Naruto!" the blonde said with a wide smile. He was about to start up another conversation when a loud voice caught Naruto's attention. He heard a girl arguing with one of the ANBU by the stairs that lead down to the arena and instantly recognized her. "Hebi-chan! We're over here!" he exclaimed as he waved his hands frantically. Kakashi groaned as he too noticed the woman.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that!" the woman said as she playfully hit the boy on his head. She looked over and saw Kakashi trying to ignore her so, of course, she walked over to him and got in his line-of-sight. "You guys here to see me kick the crap out of these other weaklings?" the girl asked in a very Naruto-ish way.

"Well, I'm here to watch an old friend; Naruto's the one that wouldn't stop ranting about coming to see you win the thing, Anko." the Jounin said with a smirk. He had to suppress a laugh when said blonde turned bright red. Anko smirked ruffled the boy's hair which made his face burn even brighter.

"Well, at least someone in your family has an eye for talent! I've looked at the competition; there is none." she said with a confident laugh. Naruto nodded with her and adopted a sage-like thinking pose; he was determined to impress her with his –limited- knowledge about the exams.

"Well, you might have to worry about Kakashi's friend. He looked kinda tough. There are also ninja from other villages here so who knows what they can do." he added. Anko and Kakashi blinked at the very un-Naruto like judgment.

"Kakashi's friend?" she questioned. The silver-haired Jounin nodded.

"Iruka-san. He's been studying a lot for this exam; I don't think you'll win easily. Even if you were taught by Oro…" he was cut off by a glare from Anko. It was so fierce that even Naruto moved away from her. The three Uchiha's only stared blankly at the scene. Naruto was about to say something when the announcer walked out into the middle of the arena.

"Will all contestants for the Chuunin Exam please come down to the arena? All contestants to the arena!" the man ordered. Anko shot one more glare at Kakashi before heading to the edge of the stands. Naruto looked at her with a confused expression before she smiled.

"Well, that's my queue! Naruto, you better cheer for me!" she said before he did a back flip over the railing. Naruto turned pale and ran over to the side, scared to death. He was met with the sight of Anko calmly walking down the wall. She looked over her shoulder at the stunned blonde and gave him a thumbs up before sprinting over to where the other contestants were gathering.

"H-h-how did she do that!" the boy asked once he found his voice. Kakashi deadpanned but it was Itachi that answered.

"She used chakra to grab the wall. It's a basic skill for a Shinobi but I am surprised a Genin would have such good control over it…" the young boy added. Naruto looked over at him and nodded. The Uchiha's made their way back over to their seats as the first match was called out.

"This is the first match of the final round of the Konoha Chuunin exams! The first match isUmino Iruka of the Leaf vs. Baki of Hidden Sand. The contestants will battle until death or incapacitation. As the examiner for this portion of the exam, I will call the match if a fighter can not go on. Now, begin the match!" the examiners hand sliced down to indicate the start. Kakashi and Naruto stepped over to the railing to get a better look as both shinobi drew weapons…

* * *

U**mino Iruka vs. Baki of the Sand**

**

* * *

**

"Well…I guess going up against you in the first round is better than Anko." the Genin mumbled to himself. His opponent had a veil covering half of his face but he could see the smirk his opponent wore. Iruka pulled out a kunai and slipped into a basic stance while the sand-nin drew a short katana.

"Kid, you'd better give up. I'm at least five years your senior so you don't stand a chance. I have much more battle experience." Baki taunted. Iruka raised an eyebrow at the man and slipped his free hand down to his shuriken pouch.

"If you have so much more experience than me, why are you still a Genin at your age? You can't be that good." Baki flushed and darted at the leaf-nin with his katana. Iruka pushed chakra to his feet and slipped by the blind thrust the sand-nin made in an attempt to run him through. Baki's over-committed thrust let Iruka lash out with his fist which caught the sand-nin in the face. Following up his advantage, Iruka reached into his pouch and pulled out several smoke bombs which he tossed at Baki. The smoke erupted obscuring the downed sand-nin while Iruka put some distance between the smoke screen and himself. In the stands the crowd was watching with great interest. Iruka was considered by some of them to be the smartest Genin of his generation and was defiantly showing that his title was deserved. Back in the arena, Iruka did a set of hand seals and pulled out several shuriken.

**"_Kage Shuriken Bunshin no Jutsu!"_** Most of the crowd erupted in a series of whispers as Iruka tossed his 8 shuriken which rapidly doubled into 16 before they plunged into the smoke. Up in the stands Kakashi was smiling; he taught Iruka that a few days before the exam. Even the Hokage was impressed with the level of skill that jutsu used. On the arena floor, Iruka quickly slipped a soldier pill from his pouch and popped it into his mouth before running through another set of hand seals.

**"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_** A thin stream of fire shot out from Iruka's mouth into the smoke. The heat made the smoke dissipate faster and soon the arena was cleared of it. Iruka broke off the jutsu and a wide crater was left where the smoke once was. In the middle of the crater was a large stone and immediately Iruka knew his attack had missed. "Damn! He used a Kawarimi…" Iruka started to scan the area for the sand-nin when a shout from behind him caught him off-guard.

**"**_**Bunshin no Jutsu!"** _Several copies of Baki rushed at Iruka with their swords drawn. Iruka knew only one of them could actually hurt him, but his chakra was almost gone due to using two high-level jutsu so close together so he could not sense which was the real Baki. He whipped out a kunai and decided on which of the three copies to parry. As he ignored the first Baki, Iruka knew he had chosen the wrong clone. The real Baki sliced Iruka's leg as he passed making the young Genin stumble. Iruka gritted his teeth sliced cleanly through the clone he was originally aiming for as it burst into a cloud of smoke which Iruka dove though. After Iruka emerged from the small cloud of smoke, he knelt down on one knee, gripping his leg. Baki swiftly brought his sword to the teen's neck as the crowd went silent. Baki himself was not without injury having several shuriken sticking out from his body.

"Time to give up, kid." the sand-nin said trying to catch his breath. Iruka bowed his head in thought. In the stands, Naruto was squinting his eyes as if he was watching something he didn't understand. Kakashi put his hand on the boys shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about Iruka. The examiner will call the match before he dies." Kakashi said.

"That's not it…I-I think that Iruka is a clone…" Kakashi looked at the boy in confusion for a moment before his eyes went wide. He casually pulled up his hitai-ate and revealed his Sharingan. He saw that the Iruka kneeling down on the ground was indeed a bunshin. Before Kakashi could question Naruto, the bunshin Iruka erupted in a cloud of smoke. The sand-nin spun around looking for the real Genin when the kunai the clone was holding transformed into the leaf-nin and quickly disarmed the other nin. Baki was too injured and surprised to put up any defense after he lost his weapon and he quickly found himself face down in the dust next to an exhausted Iruka.

"When…did you make the clone?" Baki asked from where he had landed. Iruka panted a few more times before he could speak.

"When I cut through your clone; the smoke let me make a Bunshin and Henge into a kunai without you seeing it. Do you have any idea how much chakra it takes to Henge into something so small?" the Genin asked with a smile. Baki smiled and promptly passed out. The examiner walked over and checked him.

"Winner: Umino Iruka!" The crowd erupted into cheers for the combatants. Even the Hokage stood from his seat and clapped. Kakashi smiled while Naruto jumped up and down.

"Wow! Iruka-san is good! Think he can teach me that fire jutsu?" the boy asked. Kakashi took a look at the now chakra-depleted leaf-nin that was being carried out on a stretcher with a bandaged leg.

"Uh, give him a few days." the Jounin said. He pulled his hitai-ate down and looked at the blonde in front of him. "Naruto, what made you think Iruka used a clone during the match?" Naruto closed is eyes for a bit before shrugging.

"I don't know. It's just when I looked at him for a few seconds I could see his body get a bit fuzzy. I just took a guess." the boy said. Kakashi looked over at the Uchiha's chatting a few dozen feet away back in the stands.

"Well, don't tell anyone about it. We'll look into it when you start at the academy, ok?" the Jounin said with a hint of amusement. _Ha, it's not developed yet, but Naruto is already experiencing some of the Sharingan. Only a few Uchiha develop it as early as Naruto might. He should get a single comma Sharingan by this time next year if I really train him…_ Kakashi was brought out of his thoughts by the examiner.

"The next match will now begin! Mitarashi Anko of the Leaf** vs. **Inuzuka Hana of the Leaf; please assume your combat stances and prepare to begin." The two konoichi faced off against each other. Hana's nin-dog, Ookami, growled at the woman and began to bark. Hana smirked and looked up at the girl in a fishnet vest.

"Ookami says you smell like a snake. I can't tell you how much I hate snakes." the konoichi said. Anko's blood started to boil. She whipped out a kunai and sneered at the pair.

"Well, you two are a good team; just a mangy pair of bitches that need to be house broken. Examiner! Let's start this match already." Hana and her dog both snarled while the examiner was shaking. The two most powerful ninja in the contest were aching to get at each others throats. Up in the stands Naruto was shouting at the top of his lungs for Anko to win. Said konoichi managed to smile at the exuberant blonde right before the examiner sliced his hand to indicate the start of the match. After that, all hell broke loose in the arena…

* * *

Ha! Cliffhangers are always a good way to end a chapter. As to Iruka's skill level, I have always thought he was an excellent ninja; it was his stint as academy teacher that dulled his skills. I think I made Baki look pretty good as to appease Baki fans…anyway, next up: Anko vs. Hana and Naruto's fist day at the academy! Oh yes, Anko's nickname, 'Hibi-chan', stands for Snake-chan. The explanation for that is he saw her use her snake hands skill somewhere down the line when he was little.

* * *

_**Jutsu List! **_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Kage Shuriken Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Shuriken Clone Skill)**_  
The user creates shadow clones of the weapons he throws. They are only good for one hit and disappear when they inflict damage.

_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Skill)**_  
User gathers chakra in his lungs and releases a giant fireball at his opponent. High-level jutsu that uses a large amount of chakra.

_**Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Skill)**_  
Basic skill that creates a number of clones that are identical to the user. They can't inflict damage nor can they take any. Very simple technique used for diversions. _**  
**_

_**Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Skill)**_  
Another basic jutsu. User can transform into another person or object to avoid detection. Takes a large amount of chakra to be able to change into something larger or smaller than the users original size, however._**  
**_


	3. Snake in the Grass

Wow, a lot of people seemed to like the last chapter, especially the fight scene. I guess I should put a bit more effort into Anko's, huh? But yeah, I was in a comedy mood so I made Anko's fight kinda silly…sorry for serious fight lovers, lol. The reason my updates have been so sparse is because of college exams. I'm actually taking time away from studying to write this so be thankful! Anyway, I hope you like the new chapter. Read, review, and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto because if I did, Sasuke would be tossed into a meat grinder in every episode.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Snake in the Grass**

"Well, you two are a good team; just a mangy pair of bitches that need to be house broken. Examiner! Let's start this match already." Hana and her dog both snarled while the examiner was shaking. The two most powerful ninja in the contest were aching to get at each others throats. Up in the stands Naruto was shouting at the top of his lungs for Anko to win. Said konoichi managed to smile at the exuberant blonde right before the examiner sliced his hand to indicate the start of the match.

**Mitarashi Anko vs. Inuzuka Hana**

Hana quickly pulled out a kunai and tossed it at Anko. The other woman countered with a shuriken that deflected the projectile. Hana's dog growled at its master's ineffective attack.

"Tch, I guess normal ninja techniques won't work in this situation, will they?" the dog user asked more to herself than to her opponent. Anko grinned in a very Naruto-ish way before gathering a bit of chakra.

"Nothing will work against me; especially something at level. I would suggest you give up, but I want to have a bit of fun first." the purple-haired girl said before running through a set of hand seals. **_"Kanashibari no Jutsu!"_** Suddenly the dog user was unable to move. It seemed that every muscle in her body had frozen up and it left her completely open to attack. Her dog growled in annoyance as it saw its master lock up.

"W-w-what the hell did you do!" the dog user gasped as Anko strode towards her. The purple-haired Genin smirked and pulled out a kunai.

"It's a simple jutsu that most ANBU know. Your body should be completely subdued now, right? I said I was going to drag this out but…I'll just put you out of your misery now." Anko taunted as she started gathering chakra. At his place in the stands, Naruto was smiling broadly at the teen's performance.

"Ha, Hebi-chan is great! No way some dog girl could beat her." the blonde exclaimed happily. Kakashi sighed and shook his head.

"She's getting over-confident…" the Jounin said. Naruto looked up at his Uncle with an annoyed expression which screamed 'explain before I yell at you.' "Just watch the match, Naruto." Naruto squinted his eyes but turned back to watch the rest of the fight. Back in the arena, Anko had stopped gathering chakra when her opponent started to chuckle.

"You know some interesting jutsu, I'll give you that. However…you seem to have forgotten something; I have a partner." Anko's eyes went wide in realization but it was too late; the large dog attacked from her side and latched onto her arm puncturing her skin with its fangs. The distraction proved enough to make Anko release the paralyzing jutsu. The now freed Hana quickly made hand seals of her own.

_**"Shikyaku no Jutsu**_**_!" _**The konoichi grew more rugged as the beast mimic skill did its work. Her nails grew long and her fangs became more pronounced. Anko was still trying to deal with her nin-dog, Ookami, so she didn't notice the feral Hana bolting towards her on all fours. Anko gasped as five claws hit home on her back tearing open her trench coat drawing five red lines on her back. Hana quickly came around for another pass when Anko tensed up her arm that still had the dog attached to it. Only when Hana left the ground for a KO hit did the purple-haired konoichi make her move.

"**_Seneijashu!" _**The shadow snakes slipped out of Anko's coat arms and wrapped around the surprised dog. Now that she had a firm grip, the snake Genin shifted her weight and lifted the dog into the air and swung him like a baseball bat to nail Hana. Anko released her snake's mid-swing so both dog and dog user sailed through the air and landed in a heap several feet away. The crowd applauded the shrewd timing Anko had used to pull off her technique. In the Hokage's seating, Sarutobipaled a bit when he saw the shadow snakes but he still allowed a smile to appear on his face as the girl got the better of her two opponents. "Wow, you actually surprised me there for a second. I'm impressed that you drew blood, seriously." the snake user said in honest surprise. She raised her bleeding hand to her mouth and quickly licked all the blood off of it. "Mmm…time to end this, don't you think?" The pair was just coming to their senses when Anko gathered some fresh blood from her back wound and maked a strange tatoo on her arm.

"**_Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" _**Most of the seasoned ninja bolted from their seats to see the jutsu. Kakashi slapped his forehead and mumbled something about 'over kill' while Naruto watched the cloud of smoke clear in the arena. A panting Anko was standing on a huge snake that was winding around the trees of the stadium. Some of the regular spectators screamed and fled from their seats but the ninja were awed that a mere Genin could actually summon something. The large snake, he was black and about 80ft in length, moved its eyes up towards Anko. "Alright, knock those two out but don't kill them; got it?" Anko asked the beast. It seemed to accept this and moved quick as lightning towards the stunned Hana and Ookami using their awe as an opening to quickly wrap them in its coils. The examiner chose a safer spot on the wall to observe the match since the snake took up a large portion of the arena. After a few moment of strangling, both Hana and her dog were out cold.

"Winner due to KO: Mitarashi Anko!" The crowd started to cheer once the snake was dismissed. As with the previous match, the Hokage rose from his seat to clap.

"Hokage-sama…should we arrest her?" a nameless Jounin guard asked from his station behind the Sandaime. The old man glared at him for a moment.

"Why should we do that? As far as I can see she has done nothing wrong." the old man pointed out.

"But…those jutsu are the ones Orochimaru used…" the man said. The Hokage snorted and rolled his eyes.

"We should arrest her for just using the training she received? No, she has proven herself more than loyal to us. We will not be arresting Konoha's newest Chuunin." the Hokage said. The nameless guard sulked back to his post behind the Hokage's chair. Another Jounin looked over at the elder Hokage.

"So, you've already decided she will be promoted? What about that Iruka kid, he was just as good." The man asked. The Sandaime smiled.

"Yes, he did put on quite a show, didn't he? He will be promoted as well. Their opponents did well; Baki of the Sand especially. I would recommend to the Kazekage that he be promoted as well. For now though, let's just watch the last match." Hokage said before taking his seat. He looked over the stands and chuckled when he saw a familiar blonde jumping up and down a few levels down.

"Uncle, where did that huge snake come from? Do they get any bigger? Can Hebi-chan teach me to do that?" Kakashi was being drowned by questions. He knew something like this would happen when Anko pulled out some of her bigger moves but he still wasn't ready for it. He took a deep breath and answered.

"It's a summon animal and yes they get bigger. I'm sure if you bothered her enough she would teach you how to do it but you don't exactly have the chakra to summon anything. Besides, why would you want to summon snakes? Nin-dogs are much better!" the Jounin explained. Naruto looked at the unconscious Hana and Ookami being carried out of the arena.

"Sorry Uncle but I just saw how dogs do against snakes…" the boy said; his voice was dripping with admiration for the scaled summons. Kakashi pouted for a few moments until the next match was called.

"Mitarashi Anko vs. Umino Iruka! Fighters, please come to the arena!" This was it, the final match. Both Naruto and Kakashi looked down with great interest as a recovered Iruka walked out into the arena. Anko was still trying to catch her breath having lost a lot of chakra from her summoning jutsu; she was really going to have to learn moderation.

**Mitarashi Anko vs. Umino Iruka**

"Ah, Anko-chan, don't you think you should give up? We'll probably both be advanced so we really don't have to do this…" the Genin said as he looked at the bleeding snake-nin. The wound on her back had been staunched but it was still oozing droops of blood on the arena floor. Anko smirked and looked over at the man.

"Give up? You have got to be kidding me. Do you have any idea what kinda hell the brat would put me though if I did that? Besides, I won't hurt you too much, Iruka; no need to be so scared." the girl taunted. Iruka sighed and rolled his shoulders to get the crinks out of it; this was going to be a tough match. He really didn't want to hurt the girl, especially in the state she was in. He could tell Anko was about to fall over from exhaustion; all those summoning jutsu ate up chakra like nothing else. Back in the stands, Naruto was getting jittery.

"Is Hebi-chan going to be ok? I mean, Iruka-san can't beat her, right?" the blonde asked, a bit more subdued than his previous outbursts. Kakashi scratched his head and looked at the panting Anko.

"Well…if she brought some soldier pills she should be fine." At that, Naruto sighed in relief. "Of course, Anko doesn't think that far ahead…" he finished. Naruto's eye started to twitch and the Jounin quickly backpedaled; he had no wish to deal with an annoyed kid. "Well, Anko is a good konoichi, I'm sure she'll be fine…" he said non-convincingly. Naruto mumbled something about worthless perverts before he turned back to the arena. Anko was shifting from foot to foot as she tried to come up with some sort of plan.

Iruka suddenly started his attack and caught the teen off-guard. She barely had time to draw up a block as Iruka's fist rocketed towards her midsection; it seemed he was pulling his punches. Anko quickly swatted away the fist and lashed out with her elbow making the boy duck. She brought her knee up quickly in an attempt to catch him under the chin but her exhaustion slowed her down. Iruka stopped the knee with his hands and swept her standing leg causing her to fall on her back. He tried to pin the konoichi only to find a kunai sailing towards his gut. He bit off a curse and quickly leapt back a few feet to give himself some room incase she had any more tricks. Anko calmly twirled the kunai on her finger as she got to her feet. Her reserves were even less than before and now she had pissed the other Genin off. _Ok, think Anko! I have to end this fast before he decides to go all out. What the heck can I get him with that won't use up too much strength, it's not like I can just make him fall over unconscious…heeeeeeyyyyyy…now that's an idea…_ Iruka shuddered when he saw the feral grin Anko flashed at him; somehow he didn't think this was going to end well…

"You know, Iruka…that last fight ruined my coat." Anko said nonchalantly as she ran her hands over the blood stains on her trench coat. "Not to mention all the holes that horrible woman put in it." Iruka blinked; just what the heck was she talking about? Anko saw she had his interest so she continued. "I should really just take the stupid thing off, don't you think, Iruka**_-sama_**?" Now, if Iruka had an answer to the question he quickly forgot it in the time it took Anko to slip out of her coat. To the utter joy of the male onlookers it seemed Anko really liked fishnet clothes. She had on a see-though fishnet vest that acted as her top along with a tight sports bra underneath that did very little to hide her features. In the Hokage box, Sarutobi slapped a hand to his forehead while several of his guards just gawked.

"_This_ is her idea of a winning strategy?" Kakashi asked from up in the stands. He shook his head when Anko started to do mock warm-up stretches. Iruka was near catatonic in the arena and Anko was slowly recovering her stamina thanks to her little distraction. He did feel a twinge of pitty for his young nephew, though; Naruto passed out the second Anko first dropped her coat. _I didn't know someone could bleed that much from their nose…_

Anko mentally smirked at her blabbering opponent; Iruka was so innocent. She walked up to him with hips swaying and her arms crossed over her chest accenting certain…assets. Iruka was still trying to form a singe sentence when Anko was less than half a foot away running her finger in circles on his chest. "Iruka-sama…" she purred as she cupped his face. All coherent thought in Iruka's brain shut down at this point. The crowd was on edge as Anko's lips inched closer to the stunned Genin. Three inches…two inches…less than an inch…Suddenly Iruka's eyes shot open as he experienced a new world of pain courtesy of Anko's knee in his groin. The entire crowd winced and most of the men started having ghost pains at the sight. At this point, the ref walked over to Iruka who had just slid off of Anko's knee. He was on the point of passing out while making whimpering noises. Anko gave a very Naruto-like grin and poked him in the chest with her foot.

"Give up, Iruka?" she asked. Iruka tried his best to glare but still nodded in reply. The ref kept a close eye on Anko as he raised her arm in the air.

"Winner, Mitarashi Anko!" Once the crowd recovered, there were cheers and applause worthy of the winner of the Chuunin exam. In the Hokage box, Sarutobi clapped along with the rest of the arena but he was careful not to knock the tissues that were stopping nose bleeds from his nose.

"Well, that was a…interesting tactic." one of his guards said. The rest simply nodded not really wanting to remember the groin kick as it still caused them to hurt from simply thinking of it. "Will she still make Chuunin, Hokage-sama?"

"It was a clever distraction tactic; a shinobi should be prepared for anything. Of course, Iruka also did good to last as long as he did so that shows he has good resistance." the old man said. His guards stared in wonder at him; he could always see potential in every action a ninja did.

In the stands, Naruto was just coming around as the crowds started filing out of the arena. The exam had been a huge success and small festivals were being held around the city in celebration. Anko walked up to the pair with a small limp. She looked at the groggy Naruto and actually giggled.

"So, you boys liked the show?" she asked innocently. Kakashi rolled his visible eye while Naruto tried to shake the mental image of Anko out of his mind so he could look her in the face without blushing.

"Y-you won, Hebi-chan! It must have been tough to win two matches in a row like that." Naruto replied still not able to look the girl in the eyes.

"Yeah, it was a shocker, Anko. I thought for sure Iruka had you." Kakashi said. He looked down at the now unconscious Iruka that was being helped off of the field for the second time and cringed. "Did you have to kick him so hard, though?" Anko snorted and leaned on the railing for support.

"He had it coming to him. Letting himself be distracted in the middle of a match like that isn't something a ninja should do." she said. "But…he did put up a good fight for a little while. I'm almost completely out of chakra now." she said with a sigh. Some movement from Naruto caught her eye; the boy was digging through the small pouch he kept strapped on his leg. She raised an eyebrow as the blonde held out a small pill to her.

"Uh, you can have this soldier pill if you want." the boy said. Anko smiled and patted him on the head.

"Nah, if I took that I wouldn't be able to celebrate tonight! Those things kill your appetite for a whole day you know. Thanks anyway, kid." she said as she ruffled his hair. Kakashi suppressed a laugh as Naruto mock-scowled at the girl and crossed his arms in a pout.

"You're going out tonight, Anko? Why don't you take Naruto with you; he starts at the academy tomorrow and he could use a last day of fun. I can't do anything with him since I have an ANBU meeting to attend." the Jounin asked. Anko cupped her chin in a 'thinking' pose. She didn't have anyone else to hang out with and the kid was entertaining…

"Alright, the kid can come." The Genin looked down at the smiling blonde before rolling her eyes. "Just don't embarrass me or call me 'Hebi-chan' in public!"

"How could he embarrass you anymore after that last match…?" Kakashi mumbled to himself as he watched Anko drag his nephew out of the arena. "Maybe I should go see if Iruka can talk right yet…" the Jounin said as he shuffled off towards the infirmary.

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"Dango!"

"Ramen!"

"Dango!"

"Ramen!" People quickly avoided the pair arguing in the middle of the street. It had started as a nice enough victory celebration: going to the festivals, meeting nins from other villages, picking up some souvenirs…heck, Anko even got to sign a few autographs for people that had watched her fight. Now, however, it was turning ugly. Such a food debate was this that most of the busy street was clear of people just trying to avoid the volatile konoichi; the little blonde boy didn't seem to be in any better of a mood.

"This is my celebration so we're getting going to a place that has dango!" the purple-haired girl argued. Anko was really starting to regret agreeing taking the annoying kid with her.

"How can you eat that stuff? It's just plain, ole' rice dumplings!" the little blonde retorted.

"Oh yeah? What about ramen? It's just plain, ole' noodles!" Anko countered; no one insulted dango like that! Naruto's jaw unhinged at the mere suggestion that ramen was anything but the food of the gods. He gritted his teeth and glared. The two stood in the street and grimaced at each other for a good ten minutes before one of the few people that bothered to listen to the entire fight dared to talk to them.

"U-um…" the pair shifted their glares over to the man and he almost collapsed under the shear amount of killing intent. "T-t-t-t-that new restaurant over there serves dango and ramen…" he chocked out. Anko looked over to where the man was pointing. It was a nice enough place she figured and mumbled her thanks before walking off towards it. Naruto glared at her back and stomped off after her leaving one very thankful bystander to sink to his knees in relief.

The pair walked into the dinner and were quickly seated; it pays to be somewhat famous if only for as long as people remember the exam. The waiter didn't even need to bring the menus as both people already knew what they wanted. Minutes later Anko was enjoying her dango with a few bottles of sake and Naruto was starting on his second bowl of miso ramen.

"You're not old enough to drink yet, Hebi-chan." Naruto noted between slurps. His companion snorted and took another long drink from her bottle.

"It's only underage if you get caught. Besides, it's a special occasion!" she declared as she lifted the bottle in a toast. Naruto rolled his eyes; she was quickly drunk.

"So, how did you do that snake thing? I've never seen anything like that!" the boy asked. Naruto figured he could stave off her drinking if he could keep her occupied.

"Oh, the summon jutsu? It's not that hard to do actually; you just need a contract with snakes." the girl explained. She popped another dango into her mouth and tossed the skewer into the wall like a knife, she was quite the good shot.

"Summon contract? Where do I get one of those?" the boy asked with a frown. This was quickly becoming too complicated. Anko giggled at his expression and took another drink of sake. Oh yeah, she was drunk.

"Well…I don't have the original contract with me but if I wanted too I could summon a snake that has it with him." Naruto smirked at her answer; time to make a move.

"Could you summon it for me? I wanna be able to do that!" the blonde asked. Anko wobbled a bit in her seat before she dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"You're too much of a shrimp to be able to summon anything, there would be no reason for you to sign it." she said. Naruto bit down on his tongue to keep from making an angry comeback; this would require finesse and he couldn't get snippy with her.

"Come on, Anko-chan, pleeeease?" the boy begged after he finished up his last bit of ramen. Anko groaned in disappointment once she saw that all of her sake was gone. She was tempted to order more but she knew what kind of headache she would have in the morning simply from the amount she had already consumed; she wasn't eager to add onto that.

"Forget it, shrimp. Now, it's getting late so I'll take you home, don't forget to grab your stuff." the tipsy girl ordered as she struggled to stand upright. The blonde boy sighed and grabbed her arm to help lead the girl out of the restaurant. His mind was still trying to come up with a way to get that snake contract as they passed the park on the way to his apartment. Anko was already half asleep and slurring her words so he decided to try the reverse psychology card. He only hoped the normally-bright girl wouldn't catch on in her drunken state.

"You know, Hebi-chan, I'm glad you didn't let me sign that snake contract." the boy said as innocently as he could. Anko looked down at the boy who was helping her along with a raised eyebrow and said what sounded like 'oh yeah?' to the boy. "Yeah, Otooji said your fight with that dog girl was a bit of a fluke and said I could sign a contract with nin-dogs. I guess I should do that since you won't help me with getting a snake contract…" Naruto smirked as Anko stopped in her tacks, seething.

"Tha idot said wha?-!" she slurred. She pushed Naruto away from her and stumbled into the park. "Come on kid, les get you tha contract." Anko said as she waved Naruto over to an open spot. She roughly bit her thumb and went through a set of hand seals. **_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_**

"Wow…" the blonde said as the smoke cleared. Even though it was late at night he could make out the form of a large python. The beast curled around a nearby tree and glared at Anko.

"**Why have you ssssumoned me? Sssspeak!" **the snake hissed. If Anko was intimidated she didn't show it as she staggered up to the beast and pelted him on the head with her fist.

"Don't talk to me like that you over-grown worm!" she ranted. The snake's eye started to twitch as it flicked its tongue out at the konoichi. If a snake could frown Naruto would swear that's what it was doing as it leveled its gaze at the wobbly teen.

"…**you're drunk." **is all it said as it stared at the girl. Anko glared defiantly back at it for a few moments before hiccupping and falling over. Naruto slapped his forehead as he ran over to Anko. He was relieved to see that she had only passed out. The snake noticed the tiny human and tilted its head over to him. **"Who are you and how do you know thissss girl?" **

"Uh…I'm Uzumaki Naruto, her friend." the boy croaked out. Without Anko aware the snake seemed to be much more intimidating. The snake looked him over with an appraising eye before nodding.

"**Well, I trusssst you can get her ssssomewhere safe until sssshe ssssleepssss thisss off? If that'sss all I'll be going…" **the snake said. Naruto panicked and waved his arms in the air to get its attention before it proofed out of existence. It stopped whatever it was about to do and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Anko was supposed to let me sign a contract with you guys! I worked hard to tick her into…whoops…" Naruto didn't catch himself from saying he tricked Anko into summoning the snake. He was ready to take some kind of punishment but was caught off-guard when the creature started to hiss loudly, it was almost as if it was laughing.

"**Ssso, you tricked her into sssumoning me? Ssshe will never live thissss down! Fooled by ssssuch a tiny human." **the creature said between hissing fits. Again Naruto had to bite down an insult to his height; he was only five, darn it! The snake seemed to recover and then nodded its head. It opened its mouth and for a moment Naruto thought he was going to be eaten. Instead of a quick death, however, a large scroll popped out of the snakes gullet and came to rest at the blonde's feet. **"Open that and then ssssign it. Do it with blood" **Naruto nodded and unrolled the scroll enough to find the first free name slot. He saw Anko's name and someone called 'Orochimaru' right behind it. He made a note to remember that name because he could have sworn he heard it somewhere before. He took out a kunai from his pouch and hesitated before slicing open his hand. He had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out. After his name was signed he rolled the scroll back up and pushed it over to the snake that swallowed it again; Naruto was still unnerved out by that.

"So…that's it? I can summon one of you guys now?" the boy asked. The snake did its hissing laugh again before nodding its head. Naruto grinned and pumped his fist in the air in celebration. "All right! I bet I can even beat Otooji now, huh?" Naruto questioned the snake.

"**Ha, jusssst becaussse you have a contract with usss doesssn't mean you can sssumon ussss. You don't have enough chakra to even think about fighting with one of our kind. Start practiccccing and sssee what you can do in a few monthsssss." **the snake hissed. Naruto frowned but accepted that for the time being. The boy looked over at the sleeping Anko.

"Hey, you think you can help me get her to my apartment? I really don't think I can carry her and I don't know where she lives." the boy asked the snake. It seemed displeased for a second before slithering out of the tree it was in and lifting Anko onto its back with its tail. As Naruto was leading the massive snake through the streets, he was glad it was so late at night; there was no one around to freak out at the sight of the creature. Of course, he didn't notice a certain ninja watching the trio from the top a nearby roof; his face couldn't be seen from behind his white ANBU mask…

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So, how was that? I know what you're thinking; I already gave Naruto the snake contract in another story of mine. I like snakes though, so don't give me any grief about it. Next chapter Naruto will start at the academy so look for that one! See you guys once my exams are over in a few weeks.

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**:Jutsu list:**

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_Kanashibari no Jutsu (Temporary Paralysis Skill) _**This technique is used to cause one's opponent to lose the advantage of movement. Freezing them in their tracks, this creates an opening for a more dangerous attack. The ANBU members are known especially for this Jutsu.

_**Shikyaku no Jutsu**_**_ (Four Legs Skill)_** This skill allows the user to fight on all fours like an animal. It also gives the user a speed and strength boost.

**_Seneijashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hand) _**Users of this technique project several snakes from their wrist as they make a punching motion towards their intended target. The snakes often bite and wrap around the given target, potentially inflicting multiple wounds and are even capable of poisoning the victim as well.

**_Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Skill) _**This Jutsu, using a contract, Seal, and the user's blood, binds an animal to the user. The type of animal is determined by the contract and Seal performed. The blood is used as a signature to make the contract, which can be written on a scroll or tattoo, valid. Once bound, the animal can be summoned to perform a task or help the user in battle.


	4. Ready? Steady? Go!

Eeep, people have been so demanding on poor, little me! I am updating…just slowly. So I'm the reincarnation of Shikamaru, so sue me. I really don't mean to keep you guys waiting, it's just I get bored of writing three Naruto fictions so I drabble into my Suikoden and Chrono Cross fictions. I'll try to update quicker, though, since it means so much to you guys. Mostly the mood I get into to write a certain fiction is based on the music I listen to while I do it. Yeah, that sounds dumb but I've downloaded a lot more Naruto music so I should get Sounding in the Dark's new chapter out by next week. Bushido no Jutsu…um…gimme a bit more time for that one. Anyway; read, review, and enjoy!

** Disclaimer: Guess what? I don't own Naruto! **

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**Chapter 4: Ready? Steady…Go!**

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One Mitarashi Anko, recent Chuunin and first-rate ninja, suddenly found herself in a bit of a situation. One; she was in a place she had never seen before laying on a couch. Two; there was light coming through the giant bay window of the room she was in, that meant she had spent the night somewhere. Three; she smelled something wonderful and she was very hungry. Of course, her head felt like it was about to jump out of her skull and kick her ass.

"Screw it, I want food." the Chuunin mumbled as she got up from the soft couch. _Ah damn, I probably got drunk and some guy picked me up and we…oh well; Naruto would have to learn about these things sooner or later. God I hate one night stands…he has food, thought, so he can't be too bad and damn my head hurts… _

"Good morning, Hebi-chan!" came a chipper voice from behind her. Anko looked up to see Naruto poke his head from what must have been the kitchen. "Sleep good? Breakfast will be ready in a second!"

"The guy brought Naruto with him?-! What kind of sick bastard did I go home with last night?-!" Anko yelled but regretted it when it was amplified several times in her hung-over head. She was about to start wreaking the apartment in frustration and righteous vengeance when Naruto again poked his head of the kitchen.

"Don't wreak my house you crazy drunk!" he whined. Anko blinked and looked around again before putting down the table she was about to toss out the window.

"…your house? I didn't get drunk and…" Anko let that sentence trail off; no need to let the brat know what she thought. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the now sedate teen poking around his apartment.

"Well, you did get drunk but I had Hebi-san bring you to my house; I couldn't leave you where you passed out." the blonde said. A timer went off in the kitchen and he turned around to look at it. "Uh, I have to fix breakfast; I'll tell you all about it when we eat!" he said before darting back into the kitchen. Anko shrugged and continued her search of Naruto's apartment. _Well, well. I knew the kid was living on his own but this place is nice! Hey…why is his place better than mine?-!_ Before Anko could start cursing her landlord the front door swung open and a groggy Kakashi stumbled in.

"Foooooood…" Kakashi mumbled like a zombie. Even this early in the morning some things weren't missed by the Jounin. The couch had been used, the furniture was moved around a bit, and there was a bewildered, if not hung-over, Anko staring back at him. It took the Jounin a few moments but his mind figured out the most likely reason she was here.

"Got drunk, passed out, and had Naruto drag you to his place to sleep it off?" When Anko shrugged Kakashi sighed. "That boy will bring home any stray he finds; he doesn't even know if this one has had her shots." When Anko growled at him Kakashi waved her off; he had his humor for the morning.

"Anko-chan, breakfast is done!" Naruto called out from the kitchen. Kakashi moved like a man possessed and quickly found a spot at the table in the kitchen. The blonde boy sighed when he saw the Jounin sit down, now there would be less food for him! Anko sauntered into the kitchen a few moments later rubbing her head. As it turned out, breakfast at Naruto's included ramen, eggs, and milk. Kakashi was expecting this, it seems, and readily dived into his food. Anko was a bit creeped-out that he could eat while keeping that mask on…

"So, are you going to tell me how much of an ass I made myself out to be last night?" Anko asked the little boy sitting at the head of the table. Naruto stopped mid-slurp and nodded his head.

"Well…what's the last thing you remember?" he asked.

"Hmm…I remember leaving the restaurant but not much else." she replied. Naruto gave a nervous chuckle before Anko pinned him with a glare. "Just what did I do? It can't be that bad."

"Well…on the way home we got to talking about that summon thing you used during the exam." Naruto started. He was briefly interrupted by Kakashi's mumbling of 'complete over-kill' from his corner of the table but the blonde ignored that. "I asked you if I could sign the contract thingy for snakes but you said no…after that I kinda tricked you into summoning the snake that had the contract…" Naruto added sheepishly. Kakashi stopped eating and almost laughed…almost. Anko was seething beside him and the chopsticks in her hands snapped.

"What…did…you…do?" Anko asked though clenched teeth. By this time, Kakashi's chair was away from the table and he was safely on the other side of the room 'guarding' the scrambled eggs from the now-livid Anko. Naruto was starting to sweat buckets as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"W-w-well…you s-summoned the snake and then you punched him and passed out! I had to have some way of calming him down so I brought up the summoning contract thing and he asked if I wanted to sign it! You should be thankful Hebi-san didn't eat you!" Naruto lied/defended. Anko's look told him she didn't believe him at all but before she could call him on it, Kakashi tapped the boy on the head.

"Naruto, isn't today your first day of class at the academy? You don't want to be late; Anko can kill you this afternoon when you get back." Naruto gasped and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Damn! I've got to go, see you after school Hebi-chan!" Naruto said as he grabbed his gear and ran out the door. Kakashi's eye twitched and he glared at the purple-haired teen sitting at the table.

"He learns that kind of language from you, you know." the Jounin stated. Anko shrugged and took another bite of her eggs. "Well, you want to hear what really happened last night? I was on patrol and I saw most of it."

"Sure, why not? The brat is getting better at lying, though." Anko said. Kakashi grunted and took Naruto's former seat while he finished off what was left of the scrambled eggs.

"You did summon a snake. Naruto tricked you into summoning it by saying dogs were better so you, in your drunken state, set out to disprove him. The thing made a comment about something and you slugged it and passed out." Kakashi said. Anko had expected that much. "Naruto and the snake started talking and if I didn't know better I'd say the snake liked him. He gagged up the contract scroll and had Naruto sign it then they both dragged you back to the apartment."

"The snake took a liking to him? That's rare." Anko mused. Kakashi shrugged.

"I don't know how snakes think. You seem to get along with them alright; if you didn't that snake would have eaten you." the Jounin pointed out.

"Well, one or two of them like me. The one that has the contract scroll is pretty harsh to people; he didn't even like Orochimaru." Anko said. Kakashi nodded and let the subject drop; he knew better than to pry into her past with the Snake Sannin.

"You know…" Kakashi started. "You're going to have to train Naruto some since he's got the snake contract, I don't know how to do anything with them." Anko's eyebrow rose as she heard this.

"Why should I do that? The little brat tricked me to get to the contract so he can train himself." Anko said as she partook of her ramen.

"Yeah…what happens if he summons a snake and he does something that makes it bite him? Or what if he summons one of the big ones and it eats him? Or…" Kakashi would have continued but Anko's head hitting the table in frustration silenced him.

"Alright, alright; I'll teach the little brat some stuff. I promise you though; if he starts calling me 'Hebi-sensei' I will personally feed him to Manda." Anko stated.

"Deal. You can start today with his lessons; I'll go talk to Hokage-sama about lightening your mission load the same time I go to put in my ANBU resignation." Kakashi said as more ramen disappeared from his bowl.

"You're quitting ANBU? I thought that place was your life?" Anko asked as she downed her glass of milk.

"Eh, some things are more important. Besides, ANBU is a dangerous job; Hokage-sama doesn't want me to get into too much trouble because the village might need me, something about taking on a Genin team." Kakashi said as he poured his own milk into the kitchen sink. He lazily gathered up his dishes and started to wash them in the sink. Anko raised an eyebrow at this.

"You do dishes?" Anko asked, thoroughly surprised. Kakashi looked over his shoulder and glared at her with his good eye.

"When I mess them up from eating the food Naruto cooked for me; I do it as **thanks**…" he not-so-subtly stated. Anko groaned and grabbed her own plate.

"I hope that brat is having a better time than me…" she mumbled as she started cleaning the blonde boy's kitchen.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Uzumaki Naruto? Is there an Uzumaki Naruto here?" a disgruntled teacher called from the head of his class as he took roll. Iikagen was defiantly not having a good day. Not only was Hokage-sama assigning him a new assistant teacher, some new Chuunin that didn't even look to be out of diapers yet, he was being deprived of the one star student that could have gotten him some recognition before he resigned in a few years. The Hyuuga prodigy, Neji, was being kept at the Hyuuga Compound until his cousin would be attending the academy next year. His pity-party was interrupted by the class door sliding open and closing with a slam. A short blonde boy tried to sneak over to a seat and avoid being the center of attention; not that it worked.

"Uzumaki Naruto, right?" Iikagen asked. When the boy nodded, he marked him down on the roll and walked from behind his desk to address the class. "This is Konoha Academy. As of today, you are all perspective ninja; your every move will be watched and evaluated by the teachers here. My assistant, Umino Iruka, is under training himself so try to be easy on him." Iikagen said with a chuckle.

"Iruka! You're a teacher now? That's great!" Naruto shouted from on of thetop rows. Said Chuunin slapped a hand to his forehead and shot from his seat.

"Naruto! Be quiet while Iikagen-sensei is speaking!" The class was now thoroughly interrupted and Iikagen's eye was twitching non-stop.

"Iruka…you're almost as bad as Naruto…" the elderly teacher said as he stared the young Chuunin down. Iruka started laughing nervously and sank back down in his chair. "And, Uzumaki…**don't disrupt class!" **he growled. This instantly shut the blonde up and he quickly got very small in his seat.

"Now then; I think its fair I tell you this right up-front. I am a firm believer in the 'pressure cooker' training system." Iikagen said as he turned to Iruka with a smirk. "With that said; Iruka, would you please take over the class?"

"W-w-what! Take over the class?" Iruka stuttered. When Iikagen simply smirked and motioned for him to continue, Iruka nearly started hyperventilating. It's not as if he didn't want too…he just wasn't ready to be responsible for the newest generation of Konoha ninja. Seeing that he wasn't going to get out of this, Iruka glanced at the schedule for the day. _'Lecture for the first part of the day and field exercise near the end of class; that won't work…wonder if Sensei would mind if I put the exercise first so the students could wake up and be more receptive of lecture…well, he did say he wanted me to try this out…'_

"Everyone, file up at the door with your gear; time for light exercise and combat practice!" Iruka ordered. Iikagen raised a gray eyebrow at this but said nothing.

"Awww…combat practice this early in the morning?" Naruto groaned. He fished around in his backpack for something when someone ran into him and almost knocked him over in the aisle.

"Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going, little kid?-!" snarled one of the other students. Naruto snorted and glared at him, not giving an inch. The boy narrowed his eyes and balled up a fist. "I told you to move you--!"

"—leave him alone, Miki!" came a feminine voice from a row above. Both boys looked up from their glaring match to the girl who was now staring them down. She was wearing a sleeveless button-down red shirt and black baggy pants with some sort of weapon strapped to her back. Her hair was in two small buns on either side of her face and that coupled with the frown she was wearing made her look very tomboy-ish.

"Stay out of this, TenTen! He ran into me and he won't even move when I tell him too; he's so little I bet he doesn't even know how to talk." the boy, Miki, sneered. Naruto snorted as he pulled out his kusari-fundo from his pack and looped it over his shoulder like a bandolier. The girl raised an eye at this but quickly turned her attention back to Miki.

"Don't give me that; just get out of here before I decide to crack your head open with my Bo!" TenTen declared. To emphasize her threat she tapped the long weapon settled over her back. The boy glared at her but didn't say anything as he shoved his way past Naruto. TenTen stuck her tongue out at his back before turning to the young blonde boy with a smile.

"You ok, kid?" she asked. Naruto smiled back and nodded his head.

"Yeah, thanks a lot! I could have taken him, though." Naruto said. The girl giggled a bit before starting to walk off towards the door but she looked over her shoulder as she passed Naruto's aisle.

"Sure you could have. I'm TenTen, by the way. I hope we get to spar with each other today, not many people use a kusari-fundo and I'd like to see how good you are with it." she said. Naruto grinned and again nodded his head.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto and I'd love a match!" TenTen returned his grin and headed off to the line of students with one last chuckle at the boy's enthusiasm; it was contagious.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"All right, let's all find a place to sit." Iruka said as Iikagen looked on. His assistant did have talent in this area; he picked out what was wrong with the lesson plan from one glance. The kids all lounged on the ground in the training area as Iruka looked them over. He spotted Naruto waving at him from the back and couldn't help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Ok, for the rest of your academy life, we will have morning exercises first thing. It's like this so you can all wake up and show your best after a full night's sleep." he explained as Iikagen nodded. "Now, let's start off with some combat practice to see where you are with your skills, shall we?" Iruka said as he looked over the crowd. He knew Naruto had been training with Kakashi for the better part of two weeks and before that he lived with the Hokage so pointed to the young blonde.

"Naruto! Come up here to the front with me." he ordered. Naruto grinned and jumped up from his place on the grass to run up to the front. The class murmured a bit as Naruto took his place beside Iruka looking quite pleased with himself. "Now, I need a sparing partner for Naruto here, anyone want to volunteer?"

"Iruka-sense! Why is that little kid even here?-!" yelled one of the boys from the middle of the group. Iruka raised an eyebrow as he spotted the speaker who turned out to be none other than Miki. "He shouldn't be able to even be here, right?" Naruto's eye started to twitch a bit and TenTen, who had been listening, was about to say something when Iruka spoke up first.

"Miki, Naruto here was given special permission to enter the academy a year early by Hokage-sama himself; if you wish to know the details I suggest you ask him." Iruka said. Miki's jaw dropped and he quickly sat down; TenTen was just as stunned so she didn't get a chance to volunteer as Naruto's sparring partner before someone beat her to the punch again.

"Iruka-sensei! I would like to spar with Naruto-kun!" came a voice from the back of the crowd. Iruka smiled and motioned for the boy to come up to the front. He was about Naruto's age and had a long braided ponytail going down his back; the thing that most stood out about him was his very fuzzy eyebrows. Naruto sized him up and turned to Iruka.

"Can we use weapons?" he asked. Iruka thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, it wouldn't be fair on the first day of classes, besides—" the other boy cut off the assistant teacher as he shook his head furiously.

"I do not mind, Iruka-sensei! Naruto-kun can use any weapon he likes!" the boy enthusiastically remarked. Naruto smiled at him and whipped off his kusari-fundo. He went into a fair approximation of the basic stance with both ends of the chain in each of his hands with the slack held taunt between them. The other boy bowed before dropping into a stance of his own.

"Heh, I've wanted to practice with this thing for a few days now! You sure you don't mind…um…what's your name?" Naruto asked.

"I'm Lee! Let's do our best, Naruto-kun!" he declared. Iruka shook his head and stepped back from the pair.

"All right, you two stop when I tell you to. Now…begin!" Iruka said as he sliced his hand. Naruto didn't move but Lee ran forward intent on getting the first hit; he tossed a quick jab that Naruto dodged with little trouble. Lee, not discouraged in the least, through a harder punch which he expected Naruto to dodge as well leaving him open for a kick. He was shocked when Naruto didn't move but captured his arm in the chain he was using by twisting the length of chain around his outstretched arm. Naruto smirked as he used this leverage to flip Lee over onto his back. Before Lee could even think about getting up, the chain was pulled taunt again as the small blonde dropped to the ground and caught Lee's neck in a scissor hold between his legs and grabbed his arm that was still wrapped up in the kusari-fundo.

"That's enough!" Iruka said as he walked over to the two kids now getting up off of the ground. Naruto smirked and whipped his chain back around his chest bandolier-style and bowed to the other boy.

"That was a good match, Lee! Your better at taijutsu than me; good thing you let me use a weapon." the blonde said. Lee's depressed expression quickly changed as he returned the bow.

"A most excellent match, Naruto-kun! You certainly deserve to be in the academy a year early!" Lee exclaimed. Most of the other students were of the same opinion after seeing Naruto's skills. TenTen measured the boy with a sharper eye now that she saw he has a bit of experience with his weapon. _'He's good…maybe we could be sparing partners?' _

"Yes, good match to both of you. Lee-kun, you need to work on your speed but you had a good strategy; feint Naruto with a punch and catch him with a kick, very clever." Iruka remarked. Lee was a bit surprised that the Chuunin could pick that up but none the less, he smiled at the praise.

"Naruto, you have a solid stance with your weapon but you need to work on taijutsu so you don't get caught off-guard. What happens if you lose your weapon in the middle of a battle?" Naruto frowned a bit but still nodded; he knew when someone was right.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

The rest of the students went though their own sparring matches, most with little or no talent other than TenTen who put her opponent down in less time than it had taken Naruto. Kunai and shuriken practice took up the time after the sparring matches and served as a cool-down exercise along with running laps around the training yard. The lecture that day consisted mostly of basic chakra theory and hand seal practice. After giving out a small homework assignment, class was let out and Naruto quickly ran out of the door followed by Lee and TenTen.

"Naruto-kun!" came two calls from behind the blonde as he jogged out of the door. He turned and saw TenTen walk up to him followed by Lee.

"TenTen-chan! Sorry we didn't get to spar today." the blonde said sheepishly. TenTen blinked at the 'chan' suffix but let it slide.

"It's fine, Naruto. I was going to ask if you wanted to train some; we both use weapon styles so I figured we could learn some stuff." she said. Naruto thought a bit and decided he could drop a day of training with Kakashi so he could get to know his new classmates better.

"Sure!" he grinned. Lee was about to walk away when Naruto called out to him as well. "Lee, wanna come with us? I need to work on my taijutsu!" Lee could barely contain his happiness; most of the other students wouldn't want to train with him since he couldn't use chakra…not that he would tell his new friend that until he had to.

"Of course, Naruto-kun! Training is the most important activity of the day!" TenTen and Naruto sighed when the boy's eyes lit up with an inner fire; they still couldn't figure out how he did that. The trio walked out of the training yard towards the gate chatting about the different people in their class when the blonde noticed someone at the gate that made his heart stop.

"I-it's y-you!" Naruto stuttered as he took a few steps back. His two companions looked at the direction Naruto was so they could make out whoever it was that could scare Naruto that much. They glanced at each other in worry as the mystery person walked slowly towards the group…

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Dun-dun-duuuuun! I love cliffhangers, don't you? Wonder who it is? See you guys next time I update! To adress a few things: Someone mentioned that this is the second fiction that I've given Naruto the snake contract. What can I say? I like snakes. Also, sorry the fight wasn't spectacular; remember that both Naruto and Lee are 5 and 6, respectively, so they can't do much. Thanks for reading this and I'll try to update sooner from now on! 


	5. Reality Check

Ello! Sorry about the long update; just had a few other projects to work on before I got to this one again. A note to all the people trying to second-guess **_my own story_**: I haven't decided on the pairings yet so don't get your panties in a bunch; it might be TenTen, Anko, or someone else entirely. Anyway; read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, ninja-ing, or anime in general…yeah…

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**Chapter 5: Reality Check**

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Narrowed eyes: check.

Throbbing vein on her head: check.

Short purple hair: check.

Fist clenched and twitching: double check. Only one person regularly fit that bill and the little blonde boy knew she was coming for him and hell was coming with her.

"U-um…hello…Anko-chan…" Naruto stuttered. Said konoichi was slowly sauntering up to the blonde with a look of pure annoyance on her face. With the attitude she had this morning, he had many reasons to fear the wrath of a now sober and fully-aware Anko. His companions, TenTen and Lee, noted the look on the older teen's face and made a mental note to never get on her bad side while feeling sympathy for their new-found friend.

"Naruto-kun." Anko said in a neutral voice. This served to scare the boy even more as Anko was never one to use an honorific with him; she was, no doubt in his mind, very pissed off. This fact didn't register to Lee as the boy decided to speak to the very scary girl now in front of Naruto.

"Um…who are you?" Lee asked bluntly. TenTen shot him a look of 'don't let her notice you!' but this also didn't register to the pony tailed youth. Anko's head slowly turned to pin the boy under a glare that could kill flowers, puppies, and every thing else good in the world if she was so inclined.

"Someone who is going to stomp this little brat's ass in a few minutes if he doesn't start explaining himself for what he did yesterday." she hissed. Of course she wasn't really going to hurt him but shaking the kid up a bit couldn't hurt. Well, she would have shaken him up if he was still standing where he was a few seconds ago…

"What the…where the hell did he go?" Anko asked as she looked around. A familiar mop-top of blonde hair was all that she saw as her prey disappeared behind the wall of the gate she came in.

"That little snake! He should give up and accept his punishment and not make me chase his ass all over Konoha!" Anko whined as she took off after the blonde. TenTen and Lee had watched this exchange in confusion, except for the latter who had created the perfect distraction for Naruto's timely escape and really had no idea on what to make of the angry Anko. Anyone that scared Naruto this badly was worth investigating so the pair silently nodded to each other and took to the chase…

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"Heh, can't believe Hebi-chan let me get away like that." Naruto grinned to himself as he continued his flight to safety through the back streets of Konoha. The blonde had led his pursuer though the main market of Konoha while ducking under stalls, weaving in and out of shops, and even hiding inside of a reed basket at one point; all to get away from the wrath of the angry konoichi.

"Why is she so mad at me, anyway? Not like it hurt her any to let me sign the stupid scroll..." he mumbled to himself as he ducked down another side street. Unfortunately, he wasn't watching where he was going and ran into something that felt like a soft wall. The sudden stop of momentum sent the boy sprawling on his backside as he looked up at whatever had stopped him.

"Hello, Naruto-kun." a familiar purple-haired teen purred; the smile she was wearing was anything but friendly.

"A-Anko-chan! Um...hi?" the boy chuckled nervously as he tried to backwards crawl.

The purple-haired konoichi was having none of that and quickly snatched the little boy up by the back of his shirt. "And where do you think you're going? We have a lot to discuss, brat! Just what in the hell were you thinking about signing that contract last night?-! Do you have any idea how dangerous snakes are if you don't know how to handle them?"

Naruto had the decency to look sheepish and chucked nervously. He was afraid she was going to hold that against him. "Well, I really wasn't thinking about it...you just gave me too good of an opportunity!"

"Don't try and flip this around to make it my fault! You took advantage of me when I was drunk!" It was at this point in the exchange that TenTen and Lee finally caught up.

Naruto and Anko watched the multitude of emotions flash across TenTen's face. Shock, disgust, disbelief, and finally embarrassment; Lee was too innocent to think anything of it.

Anko caught onto the young girl's train of thought and hastily waved her hands in a warding motion in front of her. She momentarily forgot she was holding Naruto so the little blonde was being shaken like a rag doll. "No! Not like that! Little brat stole a **jutsu **from me while I was drunk!"

"Oh..." TenTen recovered enough to look sheepish. "What jutsu did he steal? It must be important if you're getting so worked up about it Miss...?"

"Her name's Anko but you can call her Hebi-chan, everyone else does." Naruto squawked as Anko shook him some more.

"What the hell do you mean everyone calls me that?-! You're the only one, you little monster!" Lee and TenTen sweat dropped as Anko and Naruto started arguing again. Just when TenTen was going to ask what jutsu it was, Lee spoke up.

"Anko-san, please don't strangle Naruto-kun! We were going to train for a few hours so we need him!" Naruto shot Lee a 'gee, thanks' look that was anything but sincere.

"Training? Well...I suppose I can grant Naruto a stay of execution for a few more hours..." Anko mused. The little blonde boy started mumbling under his breath.

"Why don't you train with us, Anko-san? You said the jutsu Naruto stole was dangerous, right? You can just join us to make sure he doesn't get hurt!" TenTen declared because she really wanted to find out what that jutsu was.

Anko groaned and dropped Naruto like a sack of potatoes. The little blonde landed in an undignified heap at the Chuunin's feet and continued to mumble under his breath.

"Well, I do have to teach the little thief some things about the jutsu he stole so I guess I could baby-sit you two at the same time. We're heading over to Training Area #10, you three know how to get there?"

"Sure thing, Hebi-chan." Naruto chirped. The purple-haired teen tensed her arm but refrained from hitting the annoying boy. In a flourish of leaves, she was gone.

"Wow, I only thought Jounin's could do that!" Lee exclaimed.

Naruto stood up and dusted himself off; he figured he deserved the heavy-handed way Anko had dealt with him for this stunt. "Eh, Anko-chan isn't a normal Chuunin. She could probably beat any Jounin in the village!"

"You have a lot of faith in her, don't you." TenTen stated. She got her answer when the young boy started to laugh nervously and blush. TenTen shook her head and decided not to embarrass him any further. "Anyway, lets get to the training area, I know where it is."

The two boys nodded and followed the young girl through Konoha

As expected, the blonde was excited about the special training Anko was supposed to give him and wouldn't be quite about it. Lee was good-natured enough to go along with the conversation and idly chatted with his new friend but TenTen's mind was elsewhere.

"Naruto," the girl suddenly spoke up. Naruto stopped his chat with Lee long enough to look over at her. "Anko-san...she was in the Chuunin exam a few days ago, right?"

"Yeah! Anko-chan beat Iruka-sensei and that dog girl in the finals." Naruto replied with gusto. Lee's eyes lit up with an internal fire as he pumped his fist.

"She must be a strong warrior to beat Iruka-sensei!" the boy exclaimed. TenTen thought about that and re-adjusted her position on the strange teen. After all, it wasn't often she could find a talented kunoichi in Konoha.

"Psh, Anko-chan took it easy on him on that last round. After she used a summon to beat the dog girl she was a bit drained. At least, that's what Otooji said." Naruto supplied as he walked along.

TenTen tilted her head in thought. "She has a summon contract at her age? Which animal does she have, I know there are only a few in the village."

"She can summon snakes, just like me!" Naruto chirped. TenTen rolled her eyes; as if a first-year student could actually summon anything. Still, a Chuunin that had a summon contract was pretty amazing.

-------------

The trio of children finally made their way to the forested training area #10. Naruto immediately ran over to Anko who was sitting up in a tree snaking on a few dango, obviously bored with waiting.

"I was wondering when you were going to show." Anko bit the last dango off the wooden skewer and hopped out of the tree, landing a few feet in front of the blonde boy. TenTen and Lee, whom Naruto had left behind in his rush to greet Anko, walked up to the teen Chuunin.

Anko looked them over before frowning slightly. "You guys actually decided to come? Alright, lets get this circus underway! Firstly, I want Naruto to summon all the chakra he can mold at one time. Take as long as you need just tell me when you're at your max."

Once Naruto nodded eagerly and started to draw power, Anko ignored him and walked over to the other two kids. She looked each over closely before sighing and pointing to Lee. "Don't tell me, Taijutsu enthusiast?"

Lee deflated a bit at that and lost his smile. "I have to be one because I can't do anything else..." he said in a low voice. TenTen looked over at him with a curious expression and Naruto stopped molding chakra for a moment.

Anko, who had just figured she may have said something wrong, scratched the back of her neck nervously. "Eh, what do you mean by that, kid?"

"I have a condition that doesn't allow me to use any ninjutsu or genjutsu so I've been trying to get by with taijutsu..." Lee stated sadly. By this time, TenTen was glaring at the spiky-haired Chuunin for bringing it up. Anko was about to back-peddle big-time when a faint noise let her know that they were not alone.

"Do not despair in the springtime of youth!" Anko tensed-up and groaned as a figure appeared in a swirl of leafs at the far end of the clearing. He was tall, fit, and...green. "The blinding sun shines forever on the trees of Konoha! Just as the mighty oak starts as an acorn so too do you, Lee, start as a youthful child! In time, the sapling tree will burst in a display of radiant youth and become as unmovable as the Hokage Monument, so too will you ascend to the ranks of Konoha ninja!"

Lee was almost in tears from the speech while Anko slapped her forehead; Naruto and TenTen just gawked at what the man was wearing. He was a Jounin if the vest he was wearing was any indication but the spandex was certainly pushing the limits of fashion. Anko sighed deeply as she knew what was coming...

"Ah! Anko-san, such a beautiful flower as yourself teaching the youth of Konoha! It brings tears to my eyes!" the spandex-clad Jounin said as he smiled brightly at the purple-haired Chuunin.

Naruto's eye started to twitch as he watched this; he really didn't' like the way thick-brows was smiling at Anko. "Hey! Who are you?"

At the outburst, Gai took his attention away from an annoyed Anko and regarded the little blonde boy standing beside her. He was obviously an Academy student by the way he was outfitted but the look he was giving the older Jounin was almost enough to kill Gai's mood...almost.

"Another youthful sapling of Konoha! It was a fine day indeed that I should come here to train!" Gai exclaimed while pumping his fist in the air. Naruto almost face faulted when he saw Lee trying to copy the man. Gai noticed this and turned around to smile at the boy. "Lee! I have heard your pleas for help and I have decided to come to your aid for today!"

"Thank-you, sir! I won't disappoint you!" Lee shouted as he tried to imitate Gai's first poise with his thumb up.

Naruto, glad that Gai had taken his attention away from Anko, turned to her. "Is that guy really a ninja?"

Anko nodded faintly as Lee and Gai's eyes started to flame. "As hard as it is to believe, yes. He's actually a taijutsu expert..." the teen mumbled as she and Naruto took in the spectacle that was Lee and Gai.

TenTen shook her head as she watched the taijutsu pair; somehow she got very scary vibes coming from the two of them. "Anyway..." she tried to move the training session on. Anko looked over at her after telling Naruto to get back to gathering chakra.

"Right, let me get a good look at you..." Anko said, glad for the distraction. TenTen felt like she was being appraised like a piece of furniture. Anko clicked her teeth and crossed her arms. "Well, you are obviously a weapons groupie judging by how many kunai and shuriken you have on you. That's actually a pretty good choice for a kunoichi since our reach is shorter than a guy's. Set up some targets around the place and see how many you can hit while I deal with Naruto."

Said blonde was still gathering chakra while trying to ignore Gai and Lee. Anko left him alone and leaned against a nearby tree waiting for him to say he'd hit his limit. Truthfully, she was expecting him to keel-over a few minutes ago from chakra depletion and let that be the end of the training session. A few minutes later, she noticed a bead of sweat roll down the boy's face and decided enough was enough.

"Alright, kid! I think that will be good enough for a good attempt at what I want you to do." Naruto looked up at the teen and nodded faintly; he had only recently learned from Kakashi on how to draw chakra and it was really starting to get to him; of course, he wanted to show-off a bit to his new friends and Anko.

"The seals are _boar_, _dog_, _rooster_, _monkey_ and _sheep_. Bite your thumb and try it out." Anko ordered. TenTen and Lee stopped their respective training in order to wander over near Naruto and Anko. Even Gai looked interested.

"Anko-chan, why are you teaching your youthful protégé the _Kuchiyose no Jutsu_ at such a young age?" Gai questioned as Naruto ran though the seals a few times to get used to them. Anko just smirked in response.

"You got it yet, kid?" When Naruto nodded, Anko motioned to the ground before him. "Well then, get to it."

Naruto nervously brought his thumb up to his teeth. He really didn't want to do this part but he also didn't want to disappoint the purple-haired Chuunin. Taking a deep breath, he tried to imitate what he saw Anko do during the exam and quickly bit down on the flesh of his finger. Wincing a little, he looked at the blood trickling out of his thumb before running though the hand seals very slowly.

**_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" _**Gai, TenTen, Lee, and Anko all watched with interest as a small puff of smoke erupted from where Naruto had slammed his hand. The three kids started to cough and wave at the smoke to get it to clear faster.

"What was that, Gai-san?" Lee asked as the smoke dissipated. Gai was too busy searching the smoke for something, anything, that the boy summoned. What he saw was Anko's eye threaten to bulge out of her head. He followed her eyes down to the earth where the little blonde had done his jutsu. There, in a tight coil, was a medium-sized snake. It was strange in that its scale color was light blue with black patches weaving around its body instead of a more natural color.

"Ha! Look at that, Anko-chan! I summoned one!" Naruto yelled excitedly. Anko snapped out of her trance and clenched her fist.

"Naruto! Get your gear, we're going to go see Kakashi." Anko fumed.

Naruto tilted his head in confusion. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"

Anko calmed down a bit and shook her head. "No, kid. You did great but we really have to talk to Kakashi. I...um...forgot that he wants to teach you something and he sent me to get you after class was out. Now, dismiss the summon and lets get going."

"Dismiss him?-! It's my first one, can't I keep him out just a little while?" Naruto groaned. The blue-hued serpent, for its part, sat quietly in its coil watching the activities with an impassive gaze. TenTen bent down to get a closer look at it when Anko put her hand between the snake and the girl.

"You don't want to get too close to it, snakes are very unpredictable. And Naruto...I guess you can take it with you if you keep it in your sleeve." Anko groaned. She was wreaking the kids first major accomplishment so she could give him something.

Naruto grinned as he bent down to get the serpent. He was just going to grab it until Anko hit him on the head telling him to just hold out his arm. With a bit of muttering, the boy did so and the snake slithered up the boy's arm until it was mostly covered by his short sleeve; only it's head could be seen.

"Now, we've got to get going; Kakashi and I have **much **to discuss." Anko practically growled.

Gai, who had a thoughtful look on his face, decided to step in on that note. "Well! Since you both have pressing business with my eternal rival, I'll finish the training session for you, Anko-san!"

Anko actually smiled at him in gratitude, much to the annoyance of Naruto. The pair said their goodbyes and started off at a brisk pace. Soon, the only people left in the training ground were Gai, Lee, and TenTen.

"Lee! TenTen! We must train for the trials of youth! Come, sit with me and listen to the story of the ultimate training technique that will let anyone become the greatest ninja of all time! It is...**the self-imposed rule!**"

Lee pulled out a small notebook and started to furiously copy what Gai was saying while TenTen's eye started to twitch. _'Only a day, only a day, only a day...that's the most time I'll have to put up with these two...'_

"...right?" As she watched Gai try to teach Lee how to run around while doing a hand-stand, she started to get the feeling that they would be seeing more of each other than she ever wanted...

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/**_

"Snacks...check!" Kakashi set a bowl of chips down beside his couch along with several tiny bottles of beer that you find in the mini-bars of hotels.

"No nephews to bother me...check!" Kakashi looked at his wall clock. By this time Anko should have caught up with the blonde and would be keeping him busy for the next few hours.

"Proper lighting conditions...check!" The window blind lurched open letting in the afternoon sun.

"Special Edition Icha Icha Paradise Volume 2...double check!"

Hatake Kakashi was a happy shinobi. No missions for the next few days, someone else to keep Naruto occupied for a few hours, brand-new Icha Icha Paradise book, and tiny bottles of beer.

"Whoever made these things is a genius...they make me feel like a giant..." Kakashi happily mumbled to himself as he popped the cap of a mini-bottle. He was about to take a drink when his front door started to rock on its hinges due to vigorous knocking.

"Maybe I can just ignore them..." the Jounin mused.

"Kakashi! Get your lazy ass to the door!" Anko yelled.

Kakashi looked from his tiny bottle of beer to the door. "...maybe if I'm quiet..."

"I'm not leaving, Hatake!" Anko bellowed as if she could read his thoughts.

"Heh, I can tune her out." the masked shinobi decided as he flipped open the first page of his 'book.'

"Anko-chan, I have a spare key!" Kakashi heard his nephew reveal to Anko.

Kakashi groaned and left his comfy couch to answer the door. "That's it, no strippers for his fifteenth birthday." Kakashi mumbled under his breath.

He opened to door to find what he had expected; a very pissed-off Anko and a confused/frightened Naruto. "Anko...to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You, me, living room, **now**." Anko growled.

"I'm flattered but I don't like to get involved with co-workers..." Anko's elbow to his ribs crushed whatever funny-bone had produced the jibe so the Jounin abruptly abandoned the next few remarks he had ready.

Anko stole the mini beer bottle from the whining Kakashi and downed it in one gulp. "That's what I needed. Naruto, show your uncle your new pet."

Naruto's worried expression turned into a grin as he pulled up his shirt sleeve. Kakashi, still lamenting the loss of his mini-beverage, almost missed seeing the bluish snake coiled around Naruto's arm.

"Oh, Anko's letting you play with one of her summons? That's nice." Kakashi said as he smiled at his nephew. Anko's snort cut that off, however.

"No, he summoned it." She stated bluntly. "On his fist try."

Kakashi blinked a few times before pointing at the snake then Naruto. "Naruto summoned something on his first try? That's pretty good!" Kakashi ruffled the boys hair as Anko face faulted.

"Aren't you the least bit curious how a five-year-old could summon something on his first try? I know you've been training him a bit but this is something else entirely!" Anko argued, sincerely worried that there might be something wrong with the boy.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that and shrugged. "Well, he is my nephew...of course, you're not going to let it go at that, are you?" The Jounin sighed and motioned for Naruto to take a seat.

"I guess...it's time to tell you who your family is. I was going to wait until after you graduated but since you're already showing some of your families talents you should know." Naruto tensed at that. He had asked the Hokage about that same subject many times before but the old man would remain tight-lipped about it.

"Er...family thing, right. I'll just see myself out then..." Anko muttered as she headed towards the door. She was stopped, however, by Naruto holding onto her coat sleeve.

"Can Anko-chan stay? She was worried about something earlier...this has something to do with that, right?" Naruto asked. Kakashi was about to object but the look his nephew was leveling made him re-think.

"Well...if you're sure you want her here for this." Naruto nodded and pulled Anko towards the couch. The purple-haired kunoichi was a bit surprised the kid would want her there but he was right, she did want to know.

Kakashi took a deep breath and walked over to his window. "About seven years ago I was on a team with Uchiha Obito and Inuzuka Rin. It was funny, really...we were a team of outcasts. Rin couldn't communicate with dogs like the rest of her clan and Obito couldn't use the Sharingan even though he was fifteen, two years past the normal age for an Uchiha to activate theirs."

Anko looked down at the boy sitting beside her; she had never seen such a serious look on his face. As to Kakashi, she had never seen him this remorseful. This was something that she would probably only get to see once in her life.

"Our team leader, Uzumaki Arashi, later became the Yondaime but he isn't your father, you're only named after him." Kakashi turned from the window and placed a hand on his nephews shoulder. "You...are the son of Uchiha Obito and Inuzuka Rin. Your real name is Uchiha Naruto and you are related to the entire Uchiha clan of Konoha."

Anko nodded to herself because it made sense. Even though the boy didn't look anything like an Uchiha, he did have the crazy, spiked hair of the Inuzuka's. It would also explain his talent at learning and executing new jutsu.

Naruto gripped Anko's arm harder as a lone tear ran down his face. "M-my parents...are t-they...?"

Kakashi sighed and nodded his head. "Your father died on our last mission together and your mother...died during the Kyuubi assault."

"Were...my parents good people? Why did I grow up away from the Uchiha's and Inuzuka's? Didn't they want me?" Naruto asked as he started to breath erratically. Anko felt his grip tense again and put a comforting hand over his; she really wasn't good at comforting people.

"Well...Obito, your father, didn't want you to live with the Uchiha's. They are a demanding clan and you wouldn't have gotten a childhood. They don't even know about you, actually. As for the Inuzuka, they denounced Rin a few years before you were born. When Rin wanted to become a medic-nin instead of following the clan's wishes..." Kakashi trailed off as Naruto started to sob. The blonde flung himself at Anko and cried into her coat as she shot Kakashi a 'what do I do?' look to which Kakashi only shrugged.

After a few minutes of crying, Naruto managed to pry himself away from Anko and wipe his face on his sleeve. The snake summon, who had been coiled around his arm, calmly slithered onto the coffee table in front of the couch and curled up into a ball.

"Fugaku-san...am I related to him?" the little blond asked. Kakashi blinked, he wasn't expecting that one.

"Er...I think he's your first cousin twice removed, why?"

"Can..can I tell him about my father? I mean, w-will he want m-me?" Naruto asked in a low voice.

Kakashi looked panicked for a moment but luckily Naruto couldn't see it from his seat on the couch. "Oh, you don't want to do that. If he knows you're an Uchiha he'll drag you off to the Uchiha Compound."

"That's a bad thing? I'll have so many family members then!" Naruto argued, getting a bit upset.

Anko winced at the implications of that because she too knew what would actually happen. Deciding to give Kakashi a break, she explained. "Naruto...if they know about your father they won't let you live with Kakashi anymore nor will you be able to learn at your own pace. The rest of your life will be mapped-out by some old fart who calls himself a clan elder and you will have no voice of your own; same thing if you went to the Inuzuka clan. Also, I don't think they'd want you hanging around with Kakashi, there is some bad-blood between them if I'm not mistaken..."

Kakashi nodded at that and after a bit Naruto did too but he had a question. "Why...why don't they like him?"

The Jounin in question shifted from foot to foot as he tried to think-up an excuse. Finally, he decided to give in and tell the truth since Anko had already guessed some of it. "Well...as you know, my left eye holds the Sharingan, the only one outside their clan. They really don't have any control over me and that's a problem in their book."

"How did you get that Sharingan if you're not an Uchiha?" that hit home for Kakashi. He cringed and looked over at Anko but seeing the hold his nephew had on her it was plain to see she wasn't going anywhere so she was going to the the fourth person alive that knew this story. He groaned again and started to fidget as he put his thoughts together.

"It's your fathers." There, it was done. Kakashi looked to see what effect this had on Naruto and was a bit relieved when the blonde boy looked up at him with only in confusion.

"D-dad's? H-how did you get it?" he asked.

Kakashi walked back over to the window again and lowered his head; it was like re-living their deaths. "Earlier, I told you that your father died on his last mission...on his deathbed he gave his eye to me and your mother implanted it. I had gotten injured earlier and my original left eye was useless so he gave it to me as a gift for making Jounin. It's only because of Obito that I'm even half the shinobi I am today, he taught me how to live and for that...I'm eternally grateful."

Naruto nodded again before rising from the couch. "I...you...thank-you for telling me about mom and dad, Otooji. I'm...just going to go get some rest, I think." Naruto said as he started to walk to the door. The blueish serpent uncoiled itself and slithered after it's master. At the door, Naruto let the reptile crawl up to his arm again but paused as he opened the door.

"Can you teach me about the Inuzuka and Uchiha clans, Otooji? I really want to know more about my parents."

"Of course. Actually, I've gleaned quite a few jutsu over the years so I can teach you some of the things you'd learn if you were in their family." Kakashi replied.

Naruto actually smiled a little at that. "That's good. Just as long as you teach me about the Hatake clan, too." he said before he closed the door behind him.

Kakashi let out a long breath and slumped into a chair beside the couch but he still had a smile under his mask. "That...went a lot better than I thought it would. I really thought he would either run to the Uchiha's or blame me for it all..."

Anko chuckled as she grabbed several mini-bottles. She tossed a few to the bewildered Jounin before downing one of hers in one go. "Shut-up and drink. Next time, though, tell me if the kid I'm going to be training happens to have a super-pedigree so I don't look like an idiot in front of other shinobi." Kakashi could only nod in response as if he had any idea about what she was talking about...

* * *

Ended on kind of a serious note, huh? Well, time to clear some stuff up! I made Rin an Inuzuka because of the face marks she wears in the manga while Naruto kinda looks like a blonde Inuzuka...kinda. As for the official ages up to this chapter, they are as follows: 

Kakashi: 20  
Anko: 17  
Naruto: 5  
TenTen: 6  
Lee: 6  
Gai: 19

I'm posting the ages because there's a time-leap next chapter. I really wanted to make the part where Naruto finds out his parentage dramatic so I hope that worked for you all. Anyway, see you next chapter!


	6. Dog Days of Life

Well, I like the way this fiction is going! I hope to keep all the remaining chapters above 5,000 words, so that's good for you guys. Also, people are still guessing on the pairings...dang. So many TenTen fans, didn't know she had a large fan base, why do I have a feeling I'm going to be lynched in about 5 chapters; in fact, I think everyone is going to hate me when the main plot of this story comes out... Anyway, I said last chapter there would be a time skip in this one; I lied. There will be about four time skips in the second part of this chapter, that's why it's over 6,000 words. Anyway; read, review, and enjoy!

Note: I'm putting Naruto's birthday in the middle of an Academy year, that's why he seems a year older in relation to his school year in some of the time skips.

Disclaimer no Jutsu: Don't own Naruto so don't ask to borrow money from me, I'm poor.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Dog Days of Life**

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* * *

**

Naruto trudged into his apartment after the crushing series of revelations. He tossed his house key down on the small table by the door and promptly slumped down on his couch. For a few moments he just stared at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. He didn't even notice his serpent summon slither down his arm onto the spot next to him.

"I...have a family..." he stated to himself. He was still in a bit of shock over this discovery. His world before today had consisted of his uncle, Anko, his grandfather, and ramen; now he had two of the largest clans of Konoha as direct relatives. He looked down at the thing that had caused all of this. The snake was calmly eyeing his summon with eyes that flickered with inner-intelligence to a degree one wouldn't expect in a snake.

"I don't suppose you have any advice for me, do you?" Naruto asked sarcastically. The blue-black serpent just sat there and actually yawned at him, barring two prominent fangs up front. Naruto shook his head at the reptile and continued his rant.

"The Uchiha...that means I'm related to Itachi-san and his brother. I guess that makes us cousins or something..." Naruto figured.

"It is a lot to take in at one time, isn't it?"

Naruto thought for a moment and scratched his head; not even bothering to ask where the helpful voice came from. "I can get though it...maybe...I just wish I could tell someone about it."

"Well...I'm sure the Uchiha's wouldn't want that Anko woman around you if they found out. The mutts from that pack of dogs wouldn't be any better."

Naruto bristled at the insult to his mother's family and was about to retort until he realized he had never heard this particular voice before. Lowering his gaze from the ceiling he met the slitted eyes of the serpent he had summoned a few hours ago.

"You...can talk?" Naruto knew that the animals that people summoned had the ability to speak, he just didn't think one so small could do so. The snake hissed erratically as if it was chuckling to itself.

"Of course, we serpents are not ignorant like the majority of summoned animals." the reptile retorted with a bit of arrogance in it's raspy voice. Naruto, more intrigued than anything, re-studied the bluish snake. After looking it over several times, the animal snorted. "What are you looking at?"

"You don't look that special..." Naruto deadpanned.

The snake bristled at the remark and made a show of looking the blonde over itself. "Neither do you. I still haven't figured out how a hatchling like you could summon one of us, let alone myself."

"Why's that? Are you special or something?" Naruto asked. He was curious about this for two reasons; the first being that it could distract him from thinking about his family dilemma and the latter being that maybe if the snake was special he could show it off to Anko.

For it's part, the snake puffed itself up a bit. "Very special, actually. My full name is 'Yamata no Orochi' and I haven't been in this world for over, oh, 800 years. I really don't know what twist of fate caused you to summon my consciousness, especially in this..._inadequate_...body." the snake sneered as it looked at itself.

Naruto raised an eye at that. "Are you sure you didn't drink too much sake or something? I only count one head on you, 'Orochi.'" Naruto stated.

If a snake could sigh, Orochi did it. "Like I already said, this isn't my usual body. It's very unusual that only my consciousness would be summoned and not my body. I really have no idea how this happened."

"Well...what are you going to do now?" Naruto asked the reptile. Orochi looked up at him and idly settled into a loose coil on the sofa.

"That is the question, isn't it? I could just leave or you could dismiss me but I haven't been to your world for many centuries...it's up to you, really."

Naruto weighed the benefits of having a delusional snake around(he still didn't believe the bit about the reptile being Yamata no Orochi) against not having the snake around. Sure, the creature would probably need to be taken care of and taught how to act but he was proving to be someone to talk too. Not that Naruto would ever admit it, the blonde Uchiha didn't like to live alone and had been thinking of asking his uncle if he could get a pet; a pet that could talk was just that much better.

"If you don't mind sticking around I would like to have you here." Naruto decided. Orochi smirked in a very snake-like way before lowering his head to rest on his coils.

"In that case, wake me for breakfast." the reptile demanded as if Naruto was its slave. The blonde snorted and leaned back on his sofa to go back to thinking.

'_Living in a clan...I wonder how mom and dad did it? Would they really take me away from Otooji and Anko-chan? I don't want to leave them...' _Naruto thought to himself. Even though Anko had told him about what would happen if he got to know his family, he really wanted to get closer to them. Of course, the bad-blood between Kakashi and the Uchiha's was a hurtle as was his mother being rejected by her own clan.

Naruto sighed as he looked from the ceiling to his new 'pet.' Even though you really couldn't tell with snakes, Orochi seemed to be asleep. _'I can figure this out more in the morning...' _Naruto decided as he yawned. The little blonde boy rose from the couch and trudged off to his bedroom.

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_**

As a stray beam of light filtered through the bedroom window of Hatake Kakashi. The Jounin wrenched an eye open and quickly regretted it as it caused him to become aware of the steady pounding behind his eyes.

"What the hell did I drink last night?" he groaned as he pried himself from his bed. With a bit of stumbling, Kakashi made his way into his living room entering with the unpleasantness of stepping on a mini bottle. As hung-over as he was, the feeling of broken glass shredding up his foot was enough to cause him to give a sharp yelp.

"Shut the hell up! Some of us have a damn hangover!" Anko growled from where she was sprawled out on the couch.

Kakashi glared at her as stood on one foot to pick out the glass shards. "It's not my fault, you're the one who wanted to drink so much."

Anko rolled off the sofa and staggered to her feet, ignoring Kakashi's retort. "Damn, this is the second time in two days that I've woken-up in someone else's apartment with a hangover. If I keep this up my reputation will be shot to hell."

Kakashi resisted the urge to point out one had to have a good reputation in the first place to be able to lose it, but he had enough on his plate that he didn't want to deal with an angry Anko. Speaking of plates...

"Ugh, I need food." Kakashi complained. Anko rolled her eyes and pointed at the door.

"So go leach off the brat, that's what I'm going to do." Anko replied as she headed towards the door. After a few moments of self-deliberation, Kakashi walked after her while making sure to avoid empty mini-bottles...

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_**

"So...what do you eat?" Naruto asked as he looked though his small refrigerator. Orochi was curled-up on the kitchen table trying to find a perfect spot to catch the morning sun that filtered though the kitchen window.

"Eggs, mice, meat, birds...anything, really." Naruto cringed at a few of those but pulled out some fresh eggs and set them on the table in front of the serpent.

Once that was done, Naruto started to fix his usual breakfast of eggs, ramen, and bacon. He was just starting to heat-up the skillet when Kakashi and Anko stumbled through his front door.

"Anko-chan! Are you staying for breakfast?" Naruto happily chirped. The purple-haired girl covered her ears as the boy was less-than-quiet but still put on a small smile; he was going to feed her, after all.

"Hey, kid. I don't wanna bother you...but if you insist on the breakfast thing..." Anko said as she took a seat at the small table. Kakashi grumbled something about someone lying through their teeth but Naruto didn't pay any attention to it and continued cooking eggs.

Anko leaned down on the table and took notice of the snake basking in the sun. "You kept the summon? You really should dismiss it."

"Eh, he said he hasn't been out in awhile so I let him stay." Naruto replied. Kakashi leaned in and poked the serpent with the handle of a fork.

"You can talk?" Kakashi asked as he continued to poke.

Anko swatted the fork away from the snake with an annoyed expression. "Don't bother it, idiot." Anko turned away from the scowling Kakashi and towards the snake. "But really, you can talk?"

"Hey, I just asked that..." Kakashi tried to point out.

"You both act like children, of course I can talk." The two nin's stopped bickering and stared at the small, bluish snake in front of them.

Anko leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. "Why didn't you say anything before? You had plenty of opportunities to speak-up." she pointed out.

"I try not to waste my words on lower beings that can't comprehend anything." the snake replied as it started before it started to swallow one of the eggs in front of it.

Naruto sighed as he started to prepare the ramen. "Don't be mean to Anko-chan, Orochi!"

Anko locked up as she heard what Naruto called the snake. "W-what...did you call him?"

Naruto turned around as the sound of Anko's voice and raised an eyebrow. "That's what he said his name was, 'Yamata no Orochi' but I think he's full of it."

Anko took a few deep breaths while Kakashi looked on with an impassive face.

"Something wrong, Anko-chan?" Naruto asked. He was about to walk over to her but she held up a hand and laughed nervously.

"N-no, nothing's wrong." Anko turned down to the snake with a searching eye.

Seeing that things were becoming too heavy for his taste, Kakashi rolled his head over to Naruto. "So, how was your first day at the Academy?"

"Oh, I had a sparing match and Iruka-sensei said I needed to work on my taijutsu. He did say I was good with my weapon, though." Naruto replied. Kakashi nodded as his nephew finished with the bacon he was cooking. For the most part, Anko had calmed down but was still silent.

"Otooji, you said you'd teach me some jutsu that my family could do, right?" Kakashi looked up at the blonde and nodded which made Naruto grin. "Good! Can you teach me that thing the dog girl used on Anko-chan during the exams? She managed to hit her with it."

Anko snorted. "That was luck, kid. I assume you're talking about the _Shikyakuno Jutsu, _right? That's the most basic of all Inuzuka jutsu's."

"She got you with it..." Kakashi mumbled. Before the purple-haired Chuunin could belt him for it, he continued. "And yes, I can teach it to you. Actually, I think it might suit you...well, better than it did for your mother; she never could get used to running around on all-fours."

Naruto smiled even brighter at that; his mother had known it! With most of the food now ready, he fixed himself a plate and sat at his usual spot at the table. "You guys can have as much as you want, just clean your plates when you get done."

Anko and Kakashi milled around the small kitchen bickering about who gets how much of what. Orochi made a production of hissing a sigh before he slithered up Naruto's arm before latching on with a tight coil.

"Otooji, do you think they'll let me keep Orochi around during class?"

Anko tensed a bit but quickly went back to fixing a plate while Kakashi answered. "Eh, they shouldn't have a problem with it. The Inuzuka's bring their dogs with them when they go and I'm sure a snake is quieter than that. He is a nin-tool, after all."

Naruto nodded happily as he put away the last of his food. He looked a bit hesitant about something but pushed it away as he looked at the clock. "Well, I've got class. I'll see you after class, Anko-chan!"

Anko waved her hand in a dismissive gesture as the blonde grabbed his gear before running out the door.

"Typical, when you're here he ignores his own uncle." Kakashi pouted.

The purple-haired teen couldn't help but sigh. "Act like an adult. Kid's are annoying like that, you know."

"Maybe...he'll probably get over his little crush in a few months. I mean, anyone could after spending any length of time with you." Kakashi taunted. He was waiting on her to either hit him or yell but, to his surprise, she did neither. In fact, she looked quietly at the table.

"Do you think he's taking the whole family thing well?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow; he had never Anko worried about something.

"Well...he does tend to keep things that bother him inside. He may not look it, but he's a serious little kid." Kakashi said, becoming sober himself. "I imagine, he'll just open-up when he wants too and at his own pace. You can tell he was distracted..."

Anko smirked at that. "Sure was. He didn't even ask you about the Sharingan, I would have thought he would have jumped all over that. He did ask about that Inuzuka thing, maybe he's more interested in his mother's side of the family?"

Kakashi played with his food a bit, pushing the eggs around his plate. "I guess. He does know a few of the Uchiha's...maybe he didn't like them?"

Anko shrugged, she didn't even know Naruto knew some of his clansmen. "Eh, we have years to understand that kid, I'm not even going to try to get it all in one day."

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at that. His nephew was sad he couldn't know his family? He already had the beginnings of one right under his nose. Now, if only he could figure out what role each of them played in it...

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
1st Year in the Academy; Naruto, age 6. **

"Bah! Iruka-sensei still says my taijutsu sucks." Naruto complained as he and Kakashi walked down the street from the Academy. He had just gotten his first term report cards and he had high marks in almost everything, even being the top of his class in senjutsu, but he was just above last in taijutsu.

Kakashi chuckled lightly as he leafed though his 'book.' "If that's the case, we should work on that. I think your problem is that you spend too much time using the S_hikyaku no Jutsu_, you can't stay in four-legged form indefinitely when you fight."

Naruto pouted; he liked that jutsu, it was his best. Sure, Orochi complained about the rough ride but to the little blonde it just felt...right. "I know...I can just fight better when I'm like that, though."

Kakashi nodded; the boy's prisoner may be rubbing-off on him more than he originally thought. "Well, it is your family jutsu so I guess that makes sense. Still, you can't use seals easily with those long nails so that puts you at a disadvantage."

"Yeah...still, I doubt I'll ever be as good as Lee, he's amazing!" Naruto exclaimed. Kakashi nodded sagely, Rock Lee was quite the taijutsu genius and even if the kid couldn't mold chakra he would be a force to reckon with.

"What about your other friend, err...TenTen? How is she doing?" Kakashi actually liked the little girl, she was a good friend to Naruto. That, and she might prove to be a good alternative to Anko. Not that he minded the purple-haired kunoichi, oh no. It was just she was all his nephew would talk about; her lessons on summoning and snake-related jutsu's didn't help. If he didn't know better, Kakashi would have thought Anko like the attention and admiration...

"TenTen? She's top of the class in team activities. Iruka-sensei said she would make a good team leader. Her weapon skills are better than me, too." Naruto replied. He was a bit envious of his friend's abilities when it came to weapons; he wasn't half as good with his kusari-fundo as she was with anything she used.

Kakashi picked up thinly-veiled jealousy in the boy's voice as he talked about TenTen's weapon skills. "Well...the truth is neither the Uchiha or Inuzuka clans have a penchant for weapons. You'll do well with taijutsu and ninjutsu, that's your birthright." Kakashi thought for a moment before turning to his nephew and ruffling his hair. "Maybe you could make a jutsu that uses that chain weapon you like so much?"

Naruto perked-up at that, maybe he could. If he could create his own jutsu, he could actually show it to the kids at school. He couldn't show anyone his S_hikyaku no Jutsu_; someone would recognize it and they would start to ask questions.

"That's a great idea, Otooji!" Naruto exclaimed. Under his mask, Kakashi smirked; it was nice to be able to get a smile out of his nephew with just an idea. The pair continued their talk about Academy life as they headed off to the Ichiraku Ramen.

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
2nd Year in the Academy; Naruto, age 6. **

"..." Naruto didn't say anything as he, Kakashi, and Anko watched the procession of villagers leave the cemetery. The funeral had been one of the grandest affairs in Konoha; even the Lord of Fire Country showed up to pay his respects. All of this for one event: the most powerful clan in Konoha history, the Uchiha, were no more. The most promising genius in decades had murdered the entire clan save two. One, Uchiha Sasuke, had actually been spared by his brother's rampage and only suffered psychological damage. The other, Uchiha Naruto, was unknown to the world. Even as he attended his own clan's funeral he was suffering alone.

"W-why did he do it...why d-did they all have to die?" the blonde asked. Neither of his companions knew, it was just another thing to them. Kakashi had said goodbye to the only recognized Uchiha he would consider a friend over five years ago; Anko never knew the clan to begin with. They were trained not to sympathize with anyone as shinobi, even with the little boy breaking down in front of them they couldn't comprehend what was going through his mind. What was worse was that he knew the killer personally. Even though Itachi was only a casual acquaintance the little boy only had good things to say about him. Of course, he hadn't been the monster that had killed his entire clan...

"I...don't know, Naruto." Anko stated. The black-clad kunoichi bent down to get level with the boy she had grown so fond of. "The life of a shinobi is harsh and clan life is even worse. You get embroiled in conflict that involves parts of your own family and you could end up at the throat of people that only yesterday were your best friends. All of that at the whim of a clan elder. Some people just can't cope with it, you know?"

Naruto sniffled a few more times and nodded. He watched the dozens of fresh graves as he ran his hands over his Inuzuka-inherited whisker marks, a habit he would do whenever he was in deep thought. The ever-present Orochi was silent as he observed what was left of the citizenry leave the area, he really didn't want to bother his companion if it wasn't necessary. Oh, he knew death. He knew it quite well, actually, he had just hopped Naruto would be a bit older before he had to deal with it. The snake summon could only fathom how that Sasuke boy would handle this...

Kakashi was solemn. He was now sure that keeping his nephew away from the Uchiha was a sound decision. If he had not Naruto would be dead now. That decision, no matter how bad it had made the boy feel, was the right one. However, this didn't make the current situation any less sorrowful. Even though his nephew was obviously having a hard time dealing with the death of his clan, he couldn't find any comforting words. He wasn't really sorry they were dead, after all. They had been the main reason Rin and Obito had to keep their relationship quiet; they deprived his two best friends the simple right to enjoy each other's company in public. No...he couldn't be sorry for any of them but he could feel for his nephew. That's why he didn't stop the little blonde when he visited every Uchiha grave in the cemetery, the last link between him and his father's legacy...

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
3rd Year in the Academy; Naruto, age 8. **

"Come on, kid! You can do better than this, right?" Anko sighed as she blocked another of Naruto's kicks. The young blonde glared at her and lashed out with a right hook. Anko blocked this as well and casually used her right leg to sweep Naruto's feet out from under him.

Anko stepped back to allow the boy time to get back up but still drew out a long sigh as she shook her head. "Damn, you really do suck at taijutsu! No wonder you're almost last in your class, you can't hit shit."

"If I was using S_hikyaku no Jutsu _you wouldn't be saying that, Hebi-chan!" Naruto taunted. Even though he got high marks in most of his subjects Anko would pick at his taijutsu. So what if he was twentieth in his class? With his ninjutsu skills he could still hold his own.

Anko snorted at the whiny blonde. "If you were using that sad excuse for a jutsu I would be insulted." Anko tilted her head for a moment before clapping her hands in triumph. "Tell you what, if you manage to even hit me I'll take you out for ramen, but if you can't do that in ten minutes, you spend every penny you have on dango banquet for me, deal?"

Naruto smirked, a habit he had picked-up from the older Chuunin. "I hope you've made some good money from your missions, Hebi-chan, because you're going to be making a huge withdrawal from the bank."

The little blonde rushed at his sparring partner yet again as the fight for food began in earnest. Trying to catch the older girl unawares, Naruto tried a baseball slide to take out her ankles. Anko actually looked impressed as she leapt over the attack and tagged the boy with a kick before he could get off the ground. Naruto let out a hiss as he tried to fight down the ringing in his ears.

_'I have to concentrate! If I can just guess where she's going to hit next...' _Naruto let the thought drift off as he barely blocked a jab to his chest. Anko didn't give him any respite, however, as her food snaked out to lash at his side. It was with considerable surprise that the little boy also blocked this attack as if he knew where it was coming. Backing off from her assault, Anko reassessed her opponent. It seemed that the boy was beginning to use his head a bit when it came to blocking, thinking ahead and the like. Of course, she didn't notice the changes going on in the boy's eyes as she attacked from a new angle.

"Good, kid. Seems your using your brain a bit more, still not good enough to get a free meal from me but it's progress none-the-less." Anko said as she appeared on his left side. Naruto was shocked for a moment but hastily attacked with a side snap kick. If Anko was surprised before, she was shocked now. She was actually **_forced _**to block his attack but he gave her no time to come to terms with this. While she was holding his foot under her arm, he launched a left hook at her which she caught with her right hand. Just as she was about to ask what he was going to do, she was staring into his confident eyes...eyes that were a sea of blue with a red comma mark swimming in them. Before she could even gasp, the boy shifted his weight and punched her square in the gut with his right fist.

"Got you, Hebi...chan?" Naruto watched in frustration as the purple-haired girl he was fighting turned into a log. "Thought this was taijutsu-only, Anko-chan?"

Anko smirked at him from her perch in a tree several yards away. "Changed my mind." she said simple before extending her arms. "**_Seneijashu!"_**

Naruto leapt away with a bit more finesse as he dodged the snakes coming at him, much to the annoyance of Anko. Even as she was retracting her attacking serpents, she saw Naruto making seals.

_"**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"** _Despite the moderate-sized ball of flaming death closing in on her tree, Anko was smiling. With a hasty leap, she was down by the boy before he even got his hands released the tiger seal and despite fending off Anko's assault, Naruto was smiling as well.

Of course, when he was in he hospital for several days due to chakra depletion, his smile lost a bit of its brightness. Although, watching Anko get sick from eating too much dango quickly made up for that discomfort...

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
5th year in the Academy; Naruto, age 10. **

"Otooji? Are you still here?" Naruto asked as he walked around his apartment. It was just like his uncle; eat and run.

"I can't believe this! He was supposed to help me train today so I could try to enhance my Sharingan..." Naruto huffed. He spared a glance over to his sleeping roommate. Orochi was sprawled-out on the couch in the sun. If the boy didn't know better, he would have thought his lazy summon was a cat in a past life.

Naruto flopped down on the couch beside the snake and propped his feet up on the coffee table. After a moment, he noticed a small orange book laying on the couch beside him. Picking it up, he read the title. "Icha Icha Paradise...this is the book Otooji is always reading."

Since he had nothing better to do, Naruto started to flip through the pages. At first he was about to fling the book out the window in pure disgust but after he actually started to read the words, his mood lightened considerably and before long he was laughing hysterically.

"Kid, what the hell are you going on about?" Orochi asked as the violent shaking of the couch woke him up. Naruto wasn't listening to him, however, and continued to read the 'book' with a healthy blush. Somehow, the blue snake didn't think this was a good thing...

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
6th year in the Academy; Naruto, age 11. Present-day.**

"Uzumaki Naruto! Report to the examination room, please." Iruka called out as he walked out of the door in the back of the classroom. Tenten patted Naruto on the back as the blonde rose from his seat.

"Don't worry about it, if Lee could pass anyone can." she said as she pointed to a pouting Lee.

"Hey! Do you know how hard it was to fake a _Bunshin no Jutsu_? I had to make an afterimage!" the boy whined. Naruto knew it was all a show, however, as Lee had been worried about the exit exam for months and the boy was extreamly relieved to have passed.

The blonde sighed and put away his Icha Icha Paradise book. At least Tenten had stopped hitting him whenever he would read it, that was something. "I can make a simple Bunshin, Tenten. Don't need to worry so much."

_'Sometimes I wonder if my idea to hide what I can really do was so smart. Nobody thinks I can do anything...' _Naruto thought to himself as he walked into examination room while Tenten and Lee shouted words of encouragement behind him. He had to smile a bit though, he was exited to finally be here. Six years of grueling work and finally it was going to pay off, he figured he was entitled to show-off a bit to his teachers.

"Alright Naruto," Iruka started as he sat down behind the examiner's table. The blonde boy was almost salivating at the sight of the numerous hitai-ate's laid out on the table. "for this exam you will have to use _Bunshin no Jutsu_. You can begin when ready."

"Well, what kind of bunshin do you want?" Naruto asked. When he saw Iruka's eyebrow rise he stifled a laugh, this was going to be fun.

"How many types can you do?" Iruka asked. He knew both Anko and Kakashi had a hand in tutoring the boy but ever since his third year his grades had leveled-off leaving him squarely in the middle of his class.

Naruto tilted his head in thought before holding up three fingers. "_Bunshin no Jutsu_, _Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu_, and _Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu _with the help of Orochi."

That was a bit of a shock to Iruka. He knew the boy carried around a pet snake with him, he just didn't think it would be good for anything; this was something he wanted to see.

"If you think you can perform a _Juujuin Bunshin _you can. If you can't, just do a regular bunshin." Iruka replied. Just because he wanted to see if Naruto could do it wasn't a reason to fail him if he couldn't. Naruto smirked as a bluish snake slithered out from the sleeve of his red tee-shirt. While the reptile was still coiled around the boy's arm, Naruto started to go though a few hand seals, concentrating intently.

"**_Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu!" _**A puff of smoke enveloped boy and reptile but as it cleared there were two identical blondes standing beside each other. The only difference was that one had the slitted eyes of a snake.

"Very good, Naruto. It would be a perfect clone if it wasn't for the eyes..." Iruka started. Naruto raised an eyebrow and looked at his clone.

"Idiot! Change your eyes before you fail me!" Naruto barked at the clone. With a sigh, the clone's eyes shifted to an exact copy of Naruto's.

Iruka smiled brightly, the boy had more talent than he originally thought; although, he did wonder how a simple snake could take orders like that. "Uzumaki Naruto, congratulations on graduating the Konoha Academy!"

"All right!" Naruto yelled as he held-up the hitai-ate proudly. He quickly tied it around his neck with the symbol facing forward, just like a collar. A puff of smoke caught their attention as Orochi reverted to his serpentine form and slithered up Naruto's outstretched arm. With an enthusiastic wave, the boy ran out of the room shouting to his friends.

"Heh, no matter how old you get, some things never change." Iruka said to himself as he called in the next student.

"Guys! I passed!" Naruto yelled as he ran up to his seat. Tenten smiled warmly at him and lightly punched his shoulder.

"Told you, making a bunshin is no problem." the older girl said as Lee grumbled about afterimages.

The shaggy-haired boy was quick to recover, however, and slapped Naruto on the back. "Yes! The fires of youth burn brightly this day!"

The class went silent as Iruka walked out of the exam room with a piece of paper. He looked at it before coughing loud enough to get everyone's attention. "Congratulations to all of you that have passed! Now that the exams are over, you will all be split-up into three man teams lead by a Jounin-sensei.

All the students looked-on in silence as the teams were called-out. Naruto, Tenten, and Lee only paid attention when one of their names was called.

"Team Two! Ama Tenten, Rock Lee, and Uzumaki Naruto." the trio grinned at each other as Lee started to go on about 'legendary youth.'

After the teams were called out, most of the students left with the various Jounin that picked them up. Naruto groaned when Team Two was the last team left.

"Where the heck is this guy?" the blonde asked no one in particular.

Tenten glared at him and punched his shoulder. "It could be a girl, you know! Don't be a pig."

Naruto snorted. "I don't care if it's a goat as long as they just show up."

"If I was a goat then I would be the most youthful goat in Konoha!" Naruto, Tenten, and Lee all froze at that voice. Albeit Lee was frozen for a different reason.

"No...anyone but him. Kami-sama isn't that cruel..." Naruto mumbled with a true look of fear on his face. Tenten was chanting a mantra of 'it was only supposed to be one day!' over and over again as she started shaking.

"Behold, my youthful students, Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey, Maito Gai!" Lee started cheering immediately as the only person that would ever ware green spandex, Maito Gai, walked though the classroom door. With a thumbs-up and a blinding smile, he walked over to the three Genin's.

"Gai-sensei! Fortune smiles upon us to have you as our role model!" Lee exclaimed.

"It is my good fortune to have a student such as you, Lee!" Gai yelled. Naruto, by this time, was reputedly driving his head into the desk while Tenten was in near-tears.

Of course, being Maito Gai the Jounin completely misunderstood their plight. "My other students have been driven to silence by my youthful entry! Come Lee, let us take them to the veranda to discuss our youthful team!"

With that, Gai grabbed Naruto and tossed him over his shoulder while Lee grabbed Tenten. Before either of the two sane Genin's could complain about the treatment, the two beasts of Konoha were already out the door with their latest victims...

* * *

Wow, big chapter. Sure, most of it is filler but I think it's good filler! Since Team Gai never had a number in the manga/anime, I'll just say they were Team Two since it rhymes a bit, I'm weird like that. Anyway, next time everyone gets to know each other and Naruto goes all-out. You don't want to miss that. 

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
Jutsu and Terms List!  
_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_****  
**

**Senjutsu**  
Academy lessons that have to deal with tactics and strategy.

_**Shikyaku no Jutsu (Quadruped Skill)**_  
The Inuzuka's trademark jutsu! The user grows claws and fangs while dropping to all-fours to attack the opponent. Since the user's fingernails are so long it makes it hard to do hand seals but speed and offensive power increases.

_**Seneijashu (Shadow Snake Hands)**_  
Summoned snakes extend from the sleeves of the user to grab/poison opponents.

_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Skill)**_  
One of the earliest fire jutsu's. The user focuses their chakra into their chest and shoots it at their opponent. Damage can increase with higher chakra usage.

_**Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Skill)**_  
Simple jutsu that creates the image of the user. The clone can't attack or harm in any way and will dissipate when hit.

_**Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu (Beast-Human Clone Skill)**_  
Used in combination with an animal partner. Chakra is used to reform the animal into an exact replica of the human - or vice versa, with the human becoming an animal. A lose of power in the transformed body - will cause a revert into the original self.


	7. Potential

Hello! Welcome to the newest chapter of Black Sheep! This fiction already has 40,000 hits, can you believe it? Sounding in the Dark still has 20,000 more than it but it's catching up! I hope you like this chapter because it will be the last one until I get Sounding and Reversal of Fortunes updated...maybe. Anyway; read, review, and enjoy the **_three different _**fight scenes in this chapter! Oh yes, don't blame me for uber-powerful Gai. In the manga, even Itachi is wary of him so I figure he can do muuuuuch more than anyone gives him credit.

One last thing then we'll get on with the chapter: if you're going to review this fiction, please-oh-please say more than _'Update soon!' _Give me some feedback, compliment me; hell, I'd settle for you yelling and cursing at me if it gets you to talking more. Anyway, that's my rant; enjoy the show!

**Disclaimer no Jutsu: Don't own Naruto.**

**

* * *

Chapter 7: Potential**

* * *

"Lee, if you don't put me down right now I'm going to start carving you with a kunai!" Tenten shouted from her place over Lee's shoulder. The mini-beast of Konoha visibly paled and set the angry kunoichi down. Gai still had Naruto hoisted over his shoulder and was running up the stairs to the small veranda that the Academy had. 

"My youthful students, we are here!" Gai announced as he set the young blonde down like a sack of potatoes.

Lee and Tenten arrived just before Naruto could unleash a torrent of abuse on Gai. Tenten was still glaring daggers at Lee who had the commonsense to look sorry.

"Now that we're all here, can we start the meeting, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked in a more subdued voice. Naruto grunted and pulled out a familiar orange book and began reading, seemingly ignoring the conversation.

Tenten rolled her eyes and snatched the book away from her new teammate. "Read that trash later, Naruto! This garbage is such a slap in the face to women..."

"That's not true! The stories project a healthy view of a woman's perspective and help me get in touch with my inner kunoichi." Naruto defended.

Tenten gave him a level glare for a few moments before replying. "How long did it take you to come up with that?"

"Heh, about ten seconds before you took the book from me." Naruto nervously laughed as he scratched the back of his neck. The blonde shinobi could almost hear Orochi sigh under his sleeve.

"Ahem." the two Genin's turned to see Gai and Lee staring at him with a slightly-annoyed look.

"Naruto, Tenten! You two may have hip attitudes that awe us but we should start the meeting!" Gai said as Lee took a seat by Naruto. Tenten tossed Naruto's Icha Icha Paradise back but included a glare that showed her disapproval.

Gai calmed down and re-adopted his usual insanely happy disposition. "Yosh! As you three already know, I am Maito Gai. We'll start by moving around the group to get to know each other then we'll gauge each of your abilities. Lee! Let's start with you. Tell us about what you wish to accomplish!"

"Hai, Gai-sensei! I am Rock Lee!" the shaggy-haired Genin shouted as Naruto and Tenten groaned; they knew who he was, they had been friends for over four years. "I want to prove that I can be a good ninja without using ninjutsu and genjutsu! My life goal is to be just like Gai-sensei!"

Gai started to tear-up at his youthful student's declaration but Tenten cut him off before he could get too far.

"Uh, I'm Ama Tenten! I specialize in weapons and I want to be the first girl Hokage to prove that a kunoichi can be just as strong as the guys!" Naruto groaned as she got just as impassioned as Lee, the traitor. When everyone turned to him, he sighed.

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I really don't have any goals yet other than getting stronger so a certain person will acknowledge me as an adult! My skills are more ninjutsu than anything, although I have some talent in taijutsu and genjutsu." the blonde said as he too got caught up in Gai's enthusiasm, maybe it was a virus or something?

Gai nodded at all this in a semi-serious fashion. "Such lofty goals my students have chosen! As your sensei, your goals become mine! Today, however, we should see just how much each of you know so I can determine how much training you'll need to get to those dreams! Let us all meet at training ground five in thirty minutes for a simple aptitude test! Be prepared, my fiery students!" Gai exclaimed. Naruto and Tenten winced at the volume of his voice but breathed a sigh of relief when the Jounin puffed out of existence.

"Well, that was..._interesting_." Tenten said as she broke the silence.

Lee clenched a fist and pumped it in the air. "Yosh! We are very fortunate to have Gai-sensei to guide us as our instructor!"

"Fortunate? That guy will be the death of us all!" Naruto whined. "And what was with you, Tenten? You got all Lee-like when you were talking about girls vs. boys."

Tenten flushed a bit but still managed to glare. "Oh yeah? What was that bit about 'I want to be stronger so someone will acknowledge me as an adult!'" Tenten taunted as she did a horrible impression of her blonde friend. Before Naruto could start to complain, Lee leapt up from his seat.

"We have no time for petty arguing! Gai-sensei is waiting for us at area five!" with that said, Lee ran from the veranda leaving his teammates to catch-up...

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ **_

_"Today's graduation, huh?" Kakashi asked as more scrambled eggs disappeared off his plate. Several years ago this would have un-nerved Naruto but by now he'd gotten used to not seeing his uncle's face. The blonde boy would wager that Kakashi's mask wouldn't even come-off at his funeral. _

_Naruto looked up from his ramen and nodded. "Yup. We'll get spit into teams, right?" _

_"That's the way it goes. Teams of three with a Jounin sensei." Kakashi explained. Today's breakfast was more subdued since Anko had a mission and wouldn't be back until the next day. _

_"Think you'll be the Jounin for any teams this year, Otooji? You failed that team last year..." Naruto asked. He knew all about his uncle's infamous lazy streak and the near-impossible test he used to weed-out Genin's he felt weren't worth teaching. _

_Kakashi smiled under his mask as he dismissed his nephew's fears with the wave of his hand. "Don't worry so much, I skip every-other year, remember? I'll have to try one next graduation, though. Maybe someone from the next crop knows how to treat their comrades." Kakashi sighed and leaned in on the table. "Listen, though. I have something I want to tell you before you head-out." Naruto was a bit unnerved by the sudden seriousness, but he made sure to give the Jounin his full attention. _

_"Well, you'll be on a team starting today, no more training. You'll be on full missions where if you make a mistake, you'll die. I, nor Anko, can watch out for you anymore; you have to take responsibility for everything you do, understand that?" Kakashi asked. _

_Naruto thought for a long moment, it was like the ending of something in his life, some reassurance he always had. He couldn't put his finger on it, though, but something snapped inside as this set-in. With a slight nod as his answer, Kakashi continued. _

_"Well, that's good. I do have one last piece of advice for you: you should tell your team about your family and not hold back." Naruto was about to object when Kakashi held-up his hand to silence his nephew. "It's your life now, do what you want; just remember that it's not just yourself you're looking after anymore, you have an obligation to your team and sensei. If you don't let them know what you can really do, it could cause a laps in decision that could get you killed. Think about that." _

_Naruto opened his mouth to say something but sighed instead. Naruto supposed his uncle was right; the Uchiha Clan wasn't around anymore to take him away and the Inuzuka wouldn't want anything to do with him because his mother had been kicked-out of the clan. He was just so used to being an Uzumaki, his own person, that he didn't want a clan to dictate his life. Of course, he didn't want whatever teammates he would have get hurt because he wouldn't trust them with a secret..._

_**------------- **_

"...uto! Naruto! Hey, blondie!" Naruto snapped-out of his memory to find Tenten poking him in the shoulder. Team Two was currently waiting at training ground five for Gai to make an appearance. Lee was off to the side punching away at a log as a warm-up exercise while Naruto and Tenten were sitting off to the side conserving their strength.

The sports-bun clad girl was currently eyeing her teammate with a worried expression. "Are you ok? Kinda zoned-out for a few minutes there..."

"Just remembering what I have to do after the meeting, shopping and stuff." he lied. Tenten quirked her eyebrow at the unease in his voice but her concerns were left unvoiced as a booming voice settled over the training ground.

"My youthful students! I am lucky to have comrades that understand the importance of punctuality!" Gai exclaimed as he appeared in a swirl of leaves. The Green Beast gave his patented thumbs-up as his three students gathered around him.

"Gai-sensei! What training exercise would you have us do?" Naruto and Tenten cringed once again, this was going to be a loooooong training session if Lee kept his enthusiasm up.

The Green Beast smiled at his students despite the fact two of them were not very enthusiastic. "I am glad you asked! I shall gauge your talents by one-on-one sparring! You must attack me with all of your youthful energy so that I can judge your skills! I know it will be difficult for you to harm me, but it must be done!" Gai declared as he clenched his fist.

Lee started to tear-up at the thought of harming his spandex-clad mentor but Naruto and Tenten were already doing warm-up exercises. The looks of pure joy both of them had as Gai said to try and harm him...well, that didn't make him feel all too safe even if he was an elite Jounin.

"Tenten...you want first shot at him?" Naruto asked as he rolled his neck.

The girl smiled viciously as she whipped out her bo staff. "Thanks, it's like an early birthday gift."

The killing intent coming off of the two Genin's was enough to make Gai re-think his sparring idea. "Er...the fires of youth burn brightly in these two...heh." he mumbled to himself as he watched the two Genin not fighting move to the side of the training area.

"Oh yes, the fires of youth." Tenten mumbled as she cracked her knuckles and gave her bo a test swing with her left hand. "Anytime you're ready, Gai-sensei."

With a weary eye, Gai dropped into a loose taijutsu stance. Tenten gave him an unnerving smile before she sent a shuriken towards her spandex-clad teacher. The Jounin casually avoided the steel implement and only grinned as the sports-bun'd girl ran towards him with her staff.

Off to the side, Naruto and Lee were watching the fight with growing interest. Naruto was surprised that the older Jounin was avoiding his teammate's strikes rather than blocking them; he really didn't think the strange man was that fast.

"Oooooh! Gai-sensei is amazing! He moves like a fish in a brook!" Lee exclaimed.

For a few moments the young blonde could only stare at his other teammate before shaking his head; if he hadn't figured-out where Lee got his sayings in all the years they had been friends he would probably never understand.

"Tenten! Try maneuver #8!" Naruto shouted from the sidelines. The more she wore-out Gai, the better he would look when he fought the blonde decided.

Lee tilted his head in thought before pumping his fist. "Yosh! Not even Gai-sensei can beat maneuver #8!"

Tenten gave the slightest of nods as her latest staff thrust only succeeded in making Gai move his head with inhuman speed to make the wooden shaft pass harmlessly by. With a shout, Tenten rammed her bo into the ground in front of Gai, who mearly raised an unnaturally-thick eyebrow. Using the bo to vault into the air, Tenten employed both hands to draw kunai and shuriken from her various weapon pouches. In a flash, the deadly implements were sent sailing towards the Jounin in various sweeping arcs.

"The fire's of youth burn brightly this day! Few academy students have the dedication to make preset attack plans but I do believe you should aim better, my hip student!" Gai shouted enthusiastically as the weapons passed harmlessly by.

In an instant, Tenten's smile turned downright vicious as she pulled on the near-invisible wires that were connected to each weapon. The shrunkens caught the Jounin's legs and spun around in tight circles only to imbed into nearby trees with the kunai pinning them though the center for extra grip.

Gai, tied up like a mummy, whistled in appreciation as Tenten landed several meters away, the wires still gripped in her hands. "Yosh! A marvelous plan, Tenten! If you keep this level of professionalism up you will certainly be Hokage!"

Tenten had to smile at that, Gai was the first person other than her close friends that had ever said she could be Hokage one day. Unfortunately, her happiness turned into abject shock as the green-clad Jounin mearly flexed his muscles to make the wires binding him snap like common twine.

Gai, oblivious to the shock he had just given his students, calmly walked back to the center of the training field and gave his stunned student a thumbs up and a smile. "Tenten is currently my number-one student! The fires of youth that burn in her threaten to even engulf myself!"

"Good work, Tenten!" Lee shouted from the sidelines. The shaggy-haired youth wasn't phased at all about Gai's 'escape' as if he expected it from his mentor. Naruto just shook his head as Tenten finally found her wits long enough to walk over to the side.

"He...how...what?"

Naruto shook his head; no use even thinking about Gai's freakish strength. "Well, he is a Jounin, Tenten." the blonde offered lamely.

"Still..." the weapons mistress didn't complete her thought and instead opted instead to lean against a nearby tree in a huff.

"Who will be next in facing the 'trials of youth?' Don't be shy!" Gai shouted from the clearing. Lee's 'eye-fire' was flaring and he was about to rush out to try his luck when Naruto put a hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

"I'll take this round, Lee! Otooji fights with him enough that I know what to expect." Naruto said as he walked out into the field. Lee was a bit disappointed but settled back down to watch the coming fight with Tenten.

"Ah, my eternal rivals hip nephew! He tells me you're quite the strategist for your age but strategy alone won't make you into a effective shinobi! For one to truly be a deadly green beast you must also train the body!" Gai exclaimed as he pumped his fist, much to the delight of his cheering fans(Lee).

Naruto just smirked; so...his uncle hadn't told Gai the real story? A plan was already forming in the blondes head as he pulled a tiny orb from his side pouch.

"That's true, but a shinobi must also be able to 'look underneath the underneath,' right, Gai-sensei?"

Before Gai could respond, Naruto tossed the small ball at the ground in front of his feet. A large cloud of purple smoke erupted from the impact and settled over the entire field obscuring the two figures.

"Wish I thought of that..." Tenten grumbled as she watched the opening round of the fight.

_"**Konoha Senpuu!"** _All at once, the cloud of smoke was cut neatly in half as a powerful gust of wind tore through the training area. Both Tenten and Lee covered their faces to avoid dust and smoke from getting in their eyes. When they were able to, they saw Gai standing on his left leg with his right still held in its post-kick position.

"Amazing..." Tenten couldn't help but agree with her slack-jawed friend as they watched the smoke dissipate.

Gai returned to his former state with his arms crossed and both feet on the ground. With a raised eyebrow, he looked at the forest opposite of his other two students.

"Very clever, but what will you do now my youthful student?" he asked himself in such a low voice that one would not imagine it could come from Maito Gai.

_**-----------**_

Deep in the forest a yellow blur makes its way thought he canopy. Winding in and out of the foliage, the figure comes to a stop on a particularly large branch and scans the forest with his blue eyes. If one would look closer at this figure, they would see a single comma mark swirling in the blue irises as they search for threats.

"He's not following us?" Naruto voices.

From his sleeve, a bluish snake slithers onto the branch beside the boy. "I don't think so. It makes sense, you have to fight him eventually so you'll have to go back and face him, why waste energy chasing you all around Konoha?"

Naruto snorted, it seemed like a good plan at the time. The blonde cupped his chin in thought as Orochi yawned. The snake almost fell off his perch when the boy sprung to life with the snap of his fingers.

"That's it! We'll do special tactic #9!" Naruto said as he picked his irked companion up. The snake flicked out its tongue in annoyance at being handled like a sack of potatoes.

"**_Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu_**!" With a 'pop' and a small cloud of smoke, Orochi reverted to his human appearance. Naruto clapped his hands in glee as he pulled out another smoke bomb.

Orochi sighed; once Naruto was in 'plan-mode' it wasn't worth the argument to suggest any other ideas, the boy still had a one-track mind with battles. As clever as Naruto was he would fall into predictable attack patters. Orochi knew what was going to happen, even that purple-haired woman had fallen for it the first time they had tried it. Of course, after awhile she caught on and would regularly defeat the tactic but this...Gai creature...had never seen it so it might work...

"You know that everyone will wonder how you knew the attacks you're going to do..." Orochi stated.

Naruto sighed. "Well, they deserve to know, right? Just play your part and leave the explanations to me once we knock the green off Gai's jumpsuit! You know the drill, now let's get to it. And for kami's sake, change your eyes!" Naruto explained/scolded as he handed the smoke bomb over to his doppelganger. The snake-turned-boy only nodded as both blondes headed back the way they came...

_**-----------**_

"Ugh, where is that idiot?" Tenten groaned. After his good start the boy had just dropped-off the radar. For a few moments the girl mulled over the idea that Naruto had used the smoke as a cover to run-off so he could read his perverted book and let them deal with Gai. Of course, Tenten quickly chased that thought away once she remembered that between him, Lee, and herself, Naruto was the better strategist.

"No, it's probably some over-elaborate plan or something." she assured herself. Her assumption was proven correct a few moments later when a second smoke bomb erupted from the tree line, cutting-off the view of trees. Gai quickly turned towards the smoke and smiled, the man did love a challenge.

**_"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_** Gai blinked in mild shock as he jumped over a medium-sized fireball that streamed from the purplish smokescreen. The heat quickly made the smoke dissipate leaving Naruto in clear sight.

Off to the side, Tenten stared with a dumb-struck expression. "Lee! When did Naruto learn that jutsu?" the girl asked as she turned towards her equally-shocked teammate.

"...um...Kakashi might have taught it to him?" Lee stated with uncertainty in his voice.

Tenten frowned slightly at the sight. "Naruto should have told us he could do that! Comrades shouldn't keep secrets from each other!"

Lee was about to agree when he noticed another figure rush out of the forest. Gai noticed it as well and managed to dodge a claw swipe mid-leap.

Inu-Naruto landed on all-fours and snarled in irritation. Even using the _Shikyaku no Jutsu_ he couldn't hit the self-declared Green Beast!

Gai landed in a crouch as he eyed the two blonde boys that had attacked him. "A bunshin? I've never seen one that can use jutsu's other than a very advanced _Kage Bunshin_." the Jounin mused in a semi-serious tone. "And that fighting stance is the result of _Shikyaku no Jutsu_, correct? Why would you know a Inuzuka skill like that?"

The feral boy tensed his hands causing his long fingernails to grip the ground. Off to his side, he could see Orochi moving to trap Gai between the two of them. It was a good strategy if he could keep the Jounin's attention while his partner did it.

"Heh, there's a lot you don't know about me. Heh, you won't be able to keep dodging, not with my eyes!" Inu-Naruto snarled, baring his enhanced fangs.

Gai quirked an eyebrow at the declaration. His curiosity turned to shock as Naruto activated his level one Sharingan. "Yosh! Is that--!"

The rest of Gai's exclamation was cut short as his ears picked-up the sound of something moving towards his venerable back. On instinct, the Jounin dodged the kunai that was intended to impale his leg. _'The bunshin!' _Gai thought as he saw the bipedal Naruto dash back into the trees.

Inu-Naruto took advantage of the Jounin's laps of concentration and ran at the man with his enhanced speed granted by using all four limbs. Gai was forced to move from his spot as he dodged swipe after swipe from the inch-long claws that whizzed by various parts of his body. Even as engaged as he was, the Jounin easily out-maneuvered the blonde. As fast as he was, Naruto was very linear in his attacks. The Sharingan, no matter how the boy had it, didn't do more than allow Naruto to track his sensei's movements; too bad his body was just to slow to keep up.

"_**Seneijashu**!" _Gai parried another swipe by the feral Naruto as he leapt over the shadow snakes that were sent towards him.

"Yosh! That bunshin of yours if quite competent!" Gai exclaimed as he reverted back to his usual enthusiastic self. Faster than Orochi could see, the Green Beast was on him. With a quick roundhouse, the blonde was sent careening towards the side of the training field landing next to Lee and Tenten. With an audible 'poof,' the _Juujuin Bunshin_ was dispelled leaving a very dizzy serpent where a blonde bunshin once was.

"What the heck? Lee, isn't that Naruto's pet?" Tenten asked as she looked the snake over. Lee managed to pry his eyes away from the fight long enough to nod to his teammate.

Naruto growled at the sight of his helper being so casually defeated. The boy-turned-beast moved into a crouch and gripped the kusari-fundo that he was wearing as a bandolier.

"You won't get me that easily! Behold my ultimate jutsu!" Inu-Naruto bellowed as the weighted chain flew to his hands with the flick of his wrist. He pulled it taunt and started doing seals.

"**_Mugen_****_ Kusari no Jutsu!" _**the blonde twirled the chain and sent it speeding towards the Jounin. Gai started to comment that the short weapon couldn't possible get to him and that he could attack closer when, to his shock, the chain continued on its course, unaffected by its previous length.

The Jounin dodged as the weighted end of the chain sailed past his head. Gai was a bit perplexed at the smirk the young Genin was wearing until he heard the sound of a chain moving behind him. The kusari-fundo curved it's arc and was now following the Jounin as he darted around the field. After a few moments, the jutsu fell apart and the chain recoiled like a wench back to its original length.

As impressive as the jutsu was, it obviously used up a massive amount of chakra. Between the Sharingan, _Shikyaku no Jutsu, _and using his chakra to manipulate his Kusari-fundo Naruto was pretty much drained of his reserves. As the _Shikyaku no Jutsu _failed due to lack of chakra, the small audience which consisted of Gai, Lee, and Tenten watched in amazement as the dog-like features receded back to the blonde's original form. The blonde boy sagged his head in defeat as he put his kusari-fundo back bandolier-style. He started to chuckle nervously as he took note of the stares he was getting from Tenten and Lee.

"Uhhh...well, guess Gai-sensei won this round, huh guys?" Naruto asked with mock-innocence.

"Yosh! What amazing training you must have done in order to acquire all those skills in the one day between graduation and meeting Gai-sense!" Lee exclaimed as he ran over to his blonde teammate. Tenten punched his shoulder lightly as she sighed.

"Lee, there is no way he learned all that in one day! He's been hiding it from us for who knows how long!" the older Genin turned to Naruto with a glare. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Naruto wilted under his teammates accusing eyes; even Gai looked like he wanted an explanation.

The blonde sighed, he was going to tell them anyway. "Um...you see..." he took a deep breath and decided to go-for-broke in one breath. "MydadwasanUchihaandmymotherwasanInuzukasoIlearnedthefamilyjutsus!"

His two teammates blinked while Gai fell to the ground in shock. "You're an Uchiha!" Tenten yelled.

"Um...yep! My dad was one of Otooji's old teammates; so was mom. Sorry I couldn't tell you guys! I just didn't want to live with the Uchiha Clan or anything." Naruto mumbled.

Gai finally regained his usual cool composure and looked his student over. "Hmmm...you do have the birthmarks of an Inuzuka; the hair too."

"So, that's why you were mopping around for months after the Uchiha massacre." Tenten mused. "You should have told us! I thought we were friends, Naruto."

The blonde sunk lower to the ground with the accusation. "I know...I just got used to hiding it from everyone so I stayed quiet. I'm really sorry! Come on guys, forgive me?"

Tenten narrowed her eyes at the puppy-dog look Naruto was directing at her. Darn blonde, that look should be listed as a forbidden jutsu! "Ugh, if Lee does I guess I can."

Said Genin had his eyes closed in thought. Tenten waved her hand in front of his face and almost fell over when his eyes snapped open. "Naruto! You are now my eternal rival! As an Uchiha you are a genius ninja and I will defeat you!" he declared with gusto.

Naruto blinked once...then twice at the boy. "Er...can we be _friendly _rivals?"

"Of course!" Lee agreed with his normal nice-guy-pose. Gai started crying about how youthful his students were before Tenten whacked them both with her bo staff.

"You don't have any other secrets you're hiding from us, right?" Tenten asked with a bit of suspicion in her voice.

Naruto bit his lip as he thought; since Orochi doesn't like to talk around other people he wouldn't be a problem, best to keep that one under his hat. "Um...not that I can think of. Oh, I can use my dad's bloodlimit! That's something!" he cheered. When it came to his Sharingan he was all smiles; he didn't have many opportunities to brag about it, after all.

"Yosh! I saw it during the sparring match! You have already activated it to its first level, correct?" Gai asked.

Naruto nodded and closed his eyes in concentration. After a few moments passed, he opened them with his Sharingan activated. Tenten leaned in to study the single, small, black comma marks in each eye.

"That's the Uchiha bloodline? You can copy stuff with it, right?" Tenten asked as Lee pulled out a new notebook to record all this new information.

"Not mine. I can only see fast movement. Throw a kunai at me and I can see it, stuff like that. I have to have two tomoe in both of my eyes before I can copy techniques. Three in each eye would let me predict movement so I can block better and use advanced genjutsu." Naruto explained as he released his bloodlimit.

Gai nodded, he knew all this from his multiple fights with Kakashi. "What about the way you were acting during the fight? You were brash and uncoordinated! The initial strike showed forethought but once that was done you simply attacked head-on."

"Er...that was the effects of the _Shikyaku no Jutsu. _When I use it I get a power and speed boost but I really don't think like I normally do. I'm more animal than anything else. I really can't explain it...I know what I'm doing but I don't want to control myself." Naruto explained as he shrugged. Gai got a thoughtful look on his face but said nothing.

Lee, on the other hand, nodded and copied all his new rival said; getting information is a must for shinobi! "Yosh! I must now out-do my rival!" Lee exclaimed as he put away his notebook. The boy turned to Gai with such youthful fire in his eyes that Tenten took a step-back. "Gai-sensei! It is time for my sparring match!"

"Come, Lee! The fires of youthful rivalry shall enhance your strength!" the Jounin announced as he and Lee ran out to the middle of the training ground. Tenten had to drag the exhausted Naruto out of the way before the match could start; once she was done, the two taijutsu specialists dropped into their individual stances. Well, Lee did; Gai still crossed his arms intending to just dodge so he could gauge his student's skill.

"Don't mess with him, Lee! Use the knuckles right from the start, he's probably still tired from his last two fights!" Tenten shouted from the sidelines. Lee thought for a moment before reaching into his hip-pouch and pulling out a set of brass knuckles.

Gai blinked, he didn't think the boy used any weapons. Lee noticed his look and flushed a bit. "They were a birthday gift from Tenten and she insisted I know how to use them since I can't use any jutsu's."

"Such a caring teammate! You should learn from her, Lee, she could really give you an important edge!" Gai decided. Lee nodded enthusiastically and slid the weapons on before dropping into the standard Academy taijutsu stance.

As if their was some unseen queue, Lee suddenly ran at his opponent. Gai tensed as he barley dodged a jab aimed for his head. Lee dropped to a crouch as soon as he retracted his fist and tried to sweep the Jounin. In a mighty display of reaction ability, Gai hopped over Lee's leg and landed a few feet back. Not one to be deterred, Lee again ran at the Green Beast and tried to catch his head in a roundhouse. Gai copied Lee and dropped to a crouch to avoid the attack.

'_Got you, Gai-sensei!' _Lee thought as he suddenly re-directed his foot into a heel drop. Gai was caught off guard and for the first time in the fight he was forced to block the strike by crossing his arms over his head and catching Lee's heel. The Genin used Gai's block for leverage as he lifted his other foot to catch the Jounin in the chin.

"Good one, Lee!" Gai exclaimed cheerfully as he leaned back on his heels to avoid the kick. Now that Lee was caught with both feet off the ground, Gai simply pushed up with his guard and sent Lee falling to his back in defeat.

Off to the side Tenten sighed. "Lee went down quicker than you! This guy is going to make us train for weeks, now.."

"Lee did better than me, actually." Naruto remarked. At Tenten's look, the blonde explained. "Lee was the only person to actually hit Gai-sensei. Well...you caught him in your wires...so..."

Tenten tried to stifle a laugh. "You...you...for all your skills you were the only person not able to hit him!" the Genin said as she finally lost control of her giggle-fit. Naruto mumbled some curses under his breath as he let Orochi slither back under his sleeve.

"Yosh! My youthful students, you have all preformed admirably!" Gai said once the four-person team regrouped under the shade of a large tree. "Now I shall explain each of your weaknesses so you can train in them!"

The Green Beast turned towards the weapons mistress first. "Tenten! Your weapon skills are amazing for your age but you need to learn more ninjutsu for when your opponent is incapacitated! A quick katon jutsu would have won you the match if you would have used it while I was caught in your hip trap!" Tenten actually looked surprised that Gai could give good advice and took it in stride.

"Naruto! You have the best ninjutsu skills in the group and the sharpest tactical mind! You need to work on your taijutsu skills when your not using _Shikyaku no Jutsu, _though. Work on gaining more control over yourself while in that form, too; try meditative exercises!" The blonde shrugged; it was more-or-less what his uncle was telling him to do. The meditative stuff was new, maybe that would help?

Gai sniffled as he looked at Lee. "Lee! Your taijutsu skills are the best in the group! With greater speed you shall be invincible so we shall train! I'll bring you a set of weights tomorrow when we meet again!" Lee nodded enthusiastically; he loved training!

"Yosh! That is all for today, my youthful students! We shall meet here again tomorrow to get our first official mission from Hokage-sama! Dismissed!" Gai cheered as he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

_**-----------**_

After Gai was gone, the group decided to go their separate ways for the day. Tenten was going to go train with her bo, Lee was trying to beat a poor log into submission, while Naruto walked into town.

"Hey, Orochi." Naruto called as he walked down one of the side streets of Konoha. The blueish snake poked his head out of the boy's sleeve. Naruto smiled at the snake and patted him on the head like a pet, much to the annoyance of the summoned snake. "You did pretty good today."

The snake sighed. "Yes, yes, I know. The green-skinned human only got lucky. He is lucky I didn't have access to my full power, you wouldn't be able to find all the pieces." the snake taunted. Naruto shook his head, his partner was still insisting he was some kind of demi-god.

"You know...hey, isn't that...?" Naruto quickly ducked behind a tree that was off to the side of Konoha's main street. There, walking thought the crowd, was the snake seductress herself. "Anko-chan? She was supposed to be gone on a mission until tomorrow! When did she get back?" the blonde asked.

"Like I know. Hey...who's that guy with her?" Orochi asked, knowing full-well what was going to happen. Oh how he loved screwing with humans. Naruto narrowed his eyes; there was some guy chatting with the purple-haired Jounin as they walked down the street. Anko was actually smiling as she talked, too. Not her 'I'm going to torture you and enjoy it' smile that most people got; no, no, this was an actual 'happy-Anko' smile.

Orochi saw the effect his little observation had and inwardly grinned; time to drive the last nail into his coffin of fun. "You know...she looks like she's enjoying herself. Isn't that great, Naruto? I mean, she doesn't **_date _**much anyway so this guy must be pretty **_special_**, don't you think?"

The blonde grinded his teeth. "She's not _that _happy. He must be a...friend or something..."

Orochi nodded sagely. "You're right, that must be it. We all know how easily Anko makes friends." the snake sarcastically said.

"It's not like I care, anyway." Naruto mumbled.

"Then why are we following them?" Orochi said as he watched the boy try and blend into the crowd to follow the pair from a safe distance. Naruto didn't give him an answer other than a very aggravated growl.

_'You know, even I feel sorry for this guy...'_ the Yamata no Orochi thought as he saw Naruto's Sharingan-enhanced glare. Oh yes, the snake felt sorry for this poor man; too bad it would be more fun to watch the resulting train wreck than to try and calm the boy down...

* * *

Yosh! What a chapter. Three fight scenes...ugh. Anyway, time to address some things! Lee is using brass knuckles because he's been friends with Tenten longer than he had in the original story. I figure she would rub-off on him some. Inu-Naruto is what I'm going to call the boy when he goes into his four-legged form. I think it just fits. Next chapter: Naruto stalks Anko and her date and the third main character is finally revealed! It all starts to get crazy next chapter so brace yourselves. Next time on Black Sheep: date trouble and Team Two's first mission; be there! 

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
Jutsu List!  
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**_Shikyaku no Jutsu (Quadruped Skill)_**  
The Inuzuka's trademark jutsu! The user grows claws and fangs while dropping to all-fours to attack the opponent. Since the user's fingernails are so long it makes it hard to do hand seals but speed and offensive power increases.

**_Seneijashu (Shadow Snake Hands)_**  
Summoned snakes extend from the sleeves of the user to grab/poison opponents.

**_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Skill)_**  
One of the earliest fire jutsu's. The user focuses their chakra into their chest and shoots it at their opponent. Damage can increase with higher chakra usage.

**_Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu (Beast-Human Clone Skill)_**  
Used in combination with an animal partner. Chakra is used to reform the animal into an exact replica of the human - or vice versa, with the human becoming an animal. A lose of power in the transformed body - will cause a revert into the original self.

_**Mugen Kusari no Jutsu (Infinite Chain Skill)**_  
Using chakra, the user creates an amount of chain equal to the chakra put into the attack. Good chakra control can allow the user to move the chain to chase an opponent.


	8. Of Aprons and Annoyances

Ok, last time I update this before Sounding in the Dark, promise! Don't hurt me!

50,000 hits and 300+ reviews! Holy crap, I can't believe this is so popular. I really think I'm starting to get the full plotline mapped out now, it's going to be so deliciously good. Hmmm...I really don't have anything to say about this chapter. Read, review, and enjoy!

Also, the reviews last chapter were very insightful! Keep it up! What I'm really interested in is the opinions of my long-time readers about my style of writing. Am I too linear? Not descriptive enough? Do the character personalities seem forced? Is the dialog well-written? How about the fight scenes? Really, I want to know!

**Disclaimer no Jutsu: I don't own Naruto, kunai knives, soldier pills, ninjutsu, egotistical talking snakes, annoying blondes...you get the idea.**

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_**Chapter 8: Of Aprons and Annoyances**_

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"Target in sight..." A hunter dashed from an ally that had been concealing her presence to a empty merchant stall a few feet away as she followed her prey. The target was simply walking around in broad daylight with no concern for his own welfare. The figure remained in the shadows observing; she knew her strike had to be clean and precise or she would suffer for it. The raven-haired boy moved from the stall he was browsing at while being oblivious of the fate that awaited him. 

The hunter moved quietly as she darted behind a tree. The target paused for a moment and scanned the area. He narrowed his eyes but continued on. The kunoichi let out the breath she was holding and silently followed.

_'Such is the game between the cat and the mouse.' _she thought to herself with a smirk. Pushing all philosophical musing aside for the moment, she tensed her muscles for the awaited strike. She slowly closed in, the unknowing target completely unaware. With a feral yell, she lunged...

**"Sasuke-kun!" **Ino shrieked as she latched onto the scowling Uchiha. Sasuke shifted his weight in time to avoid being bowled-over by the amorous Yamanaka and tried to scowl at her to little effect; keeping a sour face while an affectionate girl is nuzzling his neck proved to be too much. With a slight blush, he fell-back on his normal course of action in this situation; ignore her until she gives up.

Ino eventually let herself down off the Uchiha and was content to simply cuddle with his arm. "Sasuke-kun, you want to take me out, right?" she asked while hanging off his arm.

"No." Sasuke deadpanned. To the Uchiha's utter mortification people were now starting to stare and make comments about how cute they were.

"Awwww...come on! Would it really be that bad?" Ino asked. Sasuke gave her a glare that clearly said 'hell yes.' Ino pouted a bit more before reluctantly releasing her grip on the boy's arm.

"Fine. I'll try again after the weekend, though! I'll win your heart yet, Sasuke-kun!" Ino promised as the Uchiha plodded away from her. Sasuke stiffened as he heard that but quickly disappeared into the throng of people.

"Ugh, he's almost as anti-social as Neji. He's cute though so I'll let him get away with it!" Ino squealed to herself as she walked in the opposite direction. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the boy duck into a restaurant.

"Why would Sasuke-kun go there? That's a nice place..." Ino thought aloud.

Her mind raced with possibilities, most of which being completely delusional, until one was seemingly randomly picked from her psyche. "He's meeting another girl for a date! He brushed me off so he could just go-out with someone else! Oh.Hell.No." Ino said though gritted teeth as she snuck over to the restaurant to try and get a better look at who he was(supposedly) meeting...

_**-------------------**_

"Why are they talking so low, I can't hear a word they're saying!" Naruto growled in frustration. The boy had been tailing Anko and her...'friend'...for over twenty minutes and he was no closer to getting the information he wanted.

Orochi chuckled inwardly; life was good. From his place around the boy's neck, hidden by the hitai-ate, he could get a front row seat to the entire drama. "Well, they are probably whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears or something like that so of course you wouldn't hear them. That is what people do on a date, you know." the snake replied. Naruto entire body tensed at the implication. Orochi wondered for a moment if the boy would run over to the pair and pick a fight.

Naruto took a deep breath and tried to relax as he fought down certain homicidal urges. "No way Anko would do anything like that in the middle of a busy street. There has to be an official reason or something." Naruto stated. None-the-less, the blonde followed when the pair moved towards a storefront.

"Hmm...there they go into that restaurant. It's a nice place, too. Must be **_very _**official business." Orochi stated as if Naruto couldn't see the pair going into the building. _'I'm going to have my fun, so stop being rational!' _the snake thought angrily. After getting kicked in the head by the green human during the fight some entertainment was looooong overdo.

Naruto stared at the restaurant for a bit. "Damn! They took a seat by the door...can't get in without Anko-chan seeing me."

Orochi sighed; as much fun as it was seeing the boy fret over things was, it just wasn't...**_satisfying_**. "Why not try and get into a better position to watch them though the window? Heck, you could just sneak in..." the snake suggested. If the boy got caught doing something stupid it would just make his day all the more grand.

"That stall over there is right across from the window. I could hide there until they get out." Naruto said as he left his tree hiding place. So focused was he on the couple in the window that he didn't bother to see if the stall was otherwise occupied...

_**-------------------**_

"I can't believe him! Going to meet with some other girl over me! Who's better than me?" Ino asked herself as she tried to spot the Uchiha through the store window. She had just the right hiding spot; an unused shopping stall right across the street from the storefront window.

She bit off a curse as some purple-haired woman sat right in her line-of-sight. "Of all the booths that woman could have sat at..." Ino mumbled. Well, she could at least watch the door and see if anyone she knew walked in.

"I swear, if it's forehead girl I'll ring her neck!" Ino hissed as she waited. So caught up in watching the door, she didn't notice someone crouch beside her.

Naruto scratched his head as he watched the long-haired blonde girl scowl at the restaurant. To his amazement, she hadn't noticed him yet but he was debating whether or not to bother her since she looked ready to beat the crap out of someone.

Against his better judgment, he cleared his throat. "Er...didn't think this stall was occupied."

Ino nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice near her. It was only due to her lessons at the Academy that she was able to keep from screaming and instead settled on falling over with a short yelp.

"Don't do that!" Ino hissed as she regained her former crouching position. The blonde girl took a deep breath to calm her nerves before looking the boy over. He had spiky hair, a red shirt, light blue pants, and a thin almost-white coat. What was most surprising about him, however, was the leaf hitai-ate he was wearing like a collar. "You're a shinobi?"

Naruto, a bit weary of the girls scrutiny at first, had to smile when she asked if he was a ninja. "Yup! Just graduated today, actually."

Ino tilted her head as she studied the boy a bit more closely. "You don't look that old." she pointed out. The other blonde snorted in annoyance.

"I entered the academy a year early. I'm probably not older than you, actually." Naruto replied. The girl was obviously surprised by this but instead of questioning him she went back to staring at the restaurant across the street.

"Damn! I still can't see him!" she huffed.

"Can't see who? Why are you even hiding back here, anyway?" Naruto asked.

Ino looked at the boy as if he was an idiot. "Sasuke-kun, of course!" she snapped.

Naruto tilted his head in thought. "Uchiha Sasuke? Why do you care about him?"

"Because I know he's in there with another girl and I'm going to find out who it is!" Ino hissed.

"Wow, he's cheating on his girlfriend in broad daylight?" Naruto said in bewilderment. It was even worse since he was related to the other boy. The blonde girl gave him a quizzical look before breaking out into nervous laughter.

"Um...well...we aren't _exactly _dating." Naruto gave her a level look before she continued. "I just don't want anyone else to get him! Love is a battlefield!" she declared.

Naruto scratched his head; so he was talking to a stalker, just wonderful. "Um, is one guy really all that great? I mean, you're hiding behind a dirty stall just to spy on him." the boy pointed out.

"And why are you hiding back here? I doubt it's just to bother me." the long-haired blonde countered.

Naruto had to wince at that, was he really any better? "Tch, fine. You've got me there, I guess. I just wish I knew who that guy was." the boy mumbled as he watched Anko and the mystery-man eat their dinner. Ino leaned over near him to get a better look at who he was watching.

"The purple-haired woman? Isn't she a bit..._old_?" Ino asked.

"The Uchiha, isn't he a bit..._cold_?" Naruto added with an annoyed huff. Naruto remembered the few odd times he had run into his cousin, none of those encounters left him with the feeling the genius was anything but dull.

Ino eyed the man the woman was with and smiled; always use resources when they are available, that's what Iruka-sensei always said. "I think we can help each other." Ino said suddenly.

"Is that right?" Naruto asked in a flat voice. _'Like I need help from a stalker.'_

Ino smirked and pointed to the man Anko was eating with. "I just happen to know who that is. I _could _share this information with you..."

Naruto spared a look back at the bay window in the diner. He was fairly certain he could get the name himself but if could get it without running the risk of Anko finding out he was following her...

"What do I have to do in return?" he asked. No way he was going into this blind.

Ino thought for a moment. What did she want? "Um...oh! You've already graduated so this should be easy for you! Get me a lock of Sasuke-kun's hair!"

"...you're serious? You actually want me to chop some of his hair off?" Naruto deadpanned. Ino flushed but still gave a resolute nod. Naruto felt like slapping himself to unconsciousness. "Why the hell would you want that?"

"So I can always have a part of Sasuke-kun close to me, of course!" Ino responded with fervor; she was obvious serious about this.

Naruto sighed; this was becoming complicated. He was about to turn her down when he looked over at Anko; she was smiling and laughing again as she chatted with the large man. Naruto's baser instincts took over and he immediately clenched his fist.

"Deal. Where should we meet at?" Naruto asked.

"My family owns the Yamanaka Flower Shop a few streets over. I'll be in charge of the shop for a few days since my parents are out of town. Once you get some of Sasuke-kun's hair, come and see me at the shop." Ino responded.

"Yamanaka? That's the family that specializes in the _Shintenshin no Jutsu_, right?" Naruto asked with a chuckle.

Ino caught the amusement in his voice and glared. "What about it? You want a demonstration? I'm sure the crowds would enjoy seeing you dance around like a idiot in the streets." Ino hissed.

"I didn't mean anything by it!" Naruto defended. Seeing that the other blonde was still a bit steamed, he rose from his position. "I'm going to follow the Uchiha so I can get your dumb hair."

"Huh? Why go to his clan house?" Ino asked.

The boy sighed. "You're really going to be a horrible kunoichi if you keep thinking like that. Where is the one place he'll feel comfortable about lowering his guard? I can't attack him in the streets, you know."

Ino growled at the shot against her abilities but let it slide; she'd make him pay for it _after _he got what she wanted. "Whatever, just do your job."

"So pushy, no wonder you don't have a boyfriend." Naruto mumbled. Before Ino could unleash her vengeance, the other blonde was already running down the street, laughing.

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ **_

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Orochi asked for the sixth time.

Naruto looked around the section of the city they were in. Most of the buildings were deserted and in disrepair. "Uh...I think so. This is the old Uchiha ward...the clan complex has got to be around here somewhere."

The pair wandered around the abandoned section for half an hour more until they came upon the front gates of a large house. The Uchiha clan symbol adorned the outer walls and it was the only building that looked to be kept-up. With a quick look behind him, Naruto steeped though the open gate and into the courtyard.

The house itself was elegant yet homely; two stories with multiple doors to the outside. As Naruto walked up to the main screen, he took a moment to let his mind wander. His father could have walked the halls behind this screen. The blonde took a deep breath and slid the door open to walk in.

His first sights upon entering was a small foyer-like room. A flight of stairs led to the second story while two doors off to the side led to other parts of the first floor. Naruto slid the screen closed behind him before looking over the room. Scratching his head, he looked down at his scaly companion for advice.

"How should we do this? Wait for him to go to sleep or ambush him?" Naruto asked as he explored the house. While he was relatively certain that there were no traps, he was still careful not to leave any trace that he was there.

Orochi lifted his head from behind his chauffeur's hitai-ate and flicked his tongue to taste the air. "Most of the rooms here are stagnate and unused, you could hide in one of those rooms to ambush the boy when he comes in."

"That might work. I don't suppose you can knock him out with a bite or something?" Naruto asked as he poked around the house's kitchen. To his disappointment, there was no ramen.

Orochi snorted and slithered back behind Naruto's hitai-ate. "I can't but I'm sure some other snake summon can. Just think of a snake that will only knock someone out with a bite and try the _Kuchiyose no Jutsu._"

Naruto almost slapped himself, why didn't he think of that? The boy walked out to the middle of the kitchen where there was enough room and bit his thumb to draw blood. "I hope it's one of the smaller ones..."

"Don't worry about that, you can't summon the bigger snakes until you are recognized by Manda-sama himself and receive his mark on your arm. Just think of what kind of snake you want and use the jutsu." Orochi informed. The snake snorted at having to teach the kid; that Anko woman should have told him that much herself.

Naruto filed this new bit of information in the back of his mind. He had always wondered why he couldn't summon anything bigger than thirty feet; he had always chalked it up to not having enough chakra. The boy tried to capture the image of what he wanted; a mildly poisonous snake that would only knock someone out or render them unable to move and that was small enough to go unnoticed. With that in mind, he started the seals for the jutsu.

**"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" _**the small cloud of smoke that marked the appearance of a summon quickly dissipated. A small black snake was coiled on the floor and looked slightly bewildered. Naruto fell back on the floor in exhaustion, much to the discomfort of Orochi.

"Idiot, you used up all your chakra in that fight with the green human! Use a soldier pill next time." the snake scolded.

Naruto wheezed a few times and managed to prop himself up. "Does your scaly ass have any idea how much those things cost? I'll take a nap over paying the ridiculous prices those merchants charge any day." the blonde retorted. Orochi made a snorting sound but remained quiet. Satisfied that he won the argument, Naruto took a look at the small snake coiled in front of him. It was about four feet in length and black, perfect for an ambush.

At the snake's lack of input, Naruto asked, "Can you talk?" The serpent made no reply other than flicking out its tongue.

"Idiot, of course it can't talk." Orochi piped-up. The self-declared demon snake took a look at the summoned reptile and caught its eye for a few moments. With a slight nod, Orochi looked up at Naruto.

"This is a lower level serpent that is outside any of the more powerful families in the Snake Court. You only got him because you wanted something that wouldn't kill the Uchiha; one bite from him can keep the human out for a few hours." Orochi stated.

Naruto smiled; this was just what he needed. Feeling a bit better, the blonde managed to get up on two legs with a bit of effort. "Well, if that's the case we should get ready for the esteemed guest, shouldn't we?" the boy said with bravado. Orochi sighed, this was going to turn into another production, he just knew it would...

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ **_

As the sun started to set, a dark-haired figure walks through the deserted Uchiha District of Konoha. The boy checks over his shoulder every-so-often but doesn't stop until he reaches the gates of one of the larger buildings in the area. The two-storied clan house stands as a monument to tragedy in his mind; an inanimate object left behind only to taunt him. Of course, he wasn't thinking about this today.

"I think I ran into every fan girl I've ever had today..." Sasuke mumbled as he slid off his shoes. He neatly put them away and walked towards the kitchen. After a lengthy yawn, the Uchiha prodigy set a place for himself at the large table that was off to the side of the kitchen.

"Now...what should I have for dinner today?" Sasuke asked himself as he opened his refrigerator. After he rummaged around a bit, he pulled out a bowl of batter, some cabbage, a pack of bacon, and a package of frozen shrimp.

"I think Okonomiyaki sounds good for tonight." Sasuke answered to his own inquiry. As an afterthought, he reached into the nearby broom closet and pulled out a frilly apron that said 'World's Greatest Ninja-Mom' and put it on before starting his dinner.

_**------**_

All was not quiet in the rest of the Uchiha home, however, as up in the second story a figure was creeping about. The blonde boy moved with practiced precision as he carefully finished his trap.

"Heh, this can't fail!" Naruto proudly stated as he flicked the near-invisible wire. In the low light of the hallway one would have to almost touch the trap to see it since the wire was painted black.

Having gone to sleep several minutes into the planning, Naruto's declaration of assumed victory woke Orochi from his nap. Mildly annoyed, Orochi looked over what his living perch constructed. "**_That _**was your grand idea? All you're going to do is trip him when he walks up the stairs? What the hell were you doing for three hours?" the snake asked in disbelief.

Naruto shot the serpent a glare as he stood from his crouch. "I had to get precise measurements on the angle of the wire! It's delicate work." the boy defended.

"I bet you went to sleep a few minutes after me, panicked when you heard someone in the house, and slapped this half-assed trap together in desperation." Orochi deadpanned. Naruto's lack of rebuttal and subsequent yawn closed the argument.

"We should get ready to ambush him when he comes up the stairs. There is a spare room right off the hall we can hide in until he trips. That's when you..." Naruto pointed at the small snake he had summoned. "...bite him. Hopefully he'll be off balance enough that he won't be able to block your attack. Make sure you just give him enough venom to put him out, though."

At the sounds of water running in the kitchen, Naruto pieced together that Sasuke was washing dishes and would be coming up the stairs soon. He gently picked the small snake up and placed him on one of the stairs banisters so he would go unnoticed until the intended strike. When Sasuke's foot hit the first step of the stairs Naruto was already in the spare room.

Naruto winced at every creak the wood of the stairs made. Finally, there was a loud tumbling sound followed by a yelp. After waiting a few moments, Naruto slowly opened the storage closet's door to check on his plan. On the floor at the top of the stairs was one Uchiha Sasuke, laid-out, unconscious, and wearing a...frilly apron?

"Ok, that's just not right." Naruto said in disbelief as he checked the two puncture marks on the raven-haired boy's ankle. The summoned snake was sitting off to the side looked pleased with himself. Well, as pleased as a snake _can _look.

The blonde checked for a pulse and made a face at the slow heartbeat. "He won't be permanently affected by this, right?" Naruto asked the small snake coiled beside him. Orochi sighed and slid his head over the side of his hitai-ate 'carriage' to translate.

"No. At the worst he'll only feel woozy for a few days and that's only if he has a weak immune system. The amount he was injected with should keep him out for a few hours, though." That was enough to ease Naruto's mind so with a quick word of appreciation, he dismissed his summoned accomplice.

"All right, now to give this kid a trim." Naruto pulled a kunai from his hip pouch and sliced one of his cousin's spikes off. He couldn't help but snicker at the single flat spike, it looked ridiculous. "Between that and the apron I have enough blackmail material to last a lifetime."

Orochi sighed; this was kiddy-grade entertainment. Something did occur to him, however, and he voiced an opinion. "This has an added benefit for you if you think about it."

Naruto "hmmm'd?" at the snake as he tied the lock of hair with some wire. "And what's that? I think I've done enough to my last remaining family member for one day, don't you think?"

"Think, dolt! You're right, it's about your family..." Orochi prodded. He hoped the blonde would get it on his own and he wouldn't have to lower himself to helping the mortal directly for a second time in a single day.

"Ummm...my family? What about them?" Naruto asked, proving he inherited his hair-color's stigma.

Orochi groaned, how could the boy be a tactical genius but be so scatter-brained in everything else? "Think; up until now how have you been learning your family's techniques?"

"Otooji has been teaching me, of course!"

"Exactly! Even if he is the great 'copy-nin' Kakashi he still doesn't know everything. You humans like to keep a record of your knowledge in scrolls, correct? Don't you think there should be some in this house that you can use?"

Naruto's eyes lit up; the slithering pair of boots was right! "That's right! I can learn some new stuff while Sasuke's down for the count...you know, you're actually good for some things." Naruto mused as he packed up the lock of hair and the wire used to trip Sasuke. Orochi muttered dark curses about several of Naruto's ancestors but not even that could dampen the boy's mood.

The boy and serpent began a frenzied search of the Uchiha compound. The most obvious places, the study and family library, turned into dead-ends. It seemed that Sasuke didn't just leave important family scrolls laying around. After a brief brainstorming session Naruto decided to do a systematic search of the entire complex. Room by room, every inch was covered.

Most of the rooms were as disappointing as the study but the blonde finally hit pay dirt in Sasuke's room. Filed in the boy's own personal bookshelf was a scroll labeled "Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Katon Jutsu"

"So, he keeps the good stuff in here, eh? Orochi, how much time do I have before he wakes up?" Naruto asked as he unrolled the scroll.

"About another twenty to thirty minutes. You better start copying that scroll before the whelp wakes." Orochi informed. Of course, he had about two more hours but it was getting late and snakes needed their sleep. As he suspected, Naruto started running around looking for spare paper and ink. With helpful comments/insults from Orochi, Naruto managed to find the appropriate utensils.

"First jutsu..._Goukakyuu no Jutsu. _Already know that one..." Naruto unrolled the scroll a bit more to get to the next technique.

"..._Housenka no Jutsu_, that's new. It's C-class, too." The blonde quickly started to copy the seals and description of the technique. According to Orochi his time was running up so he would only get one more jutsu before he called it a night. Skipping most of the rest of the scroll, he went directly to the most powerful jutsu on the scroll. He paid no heed to the warnings that appeared and instead scanned for the hand seals.

"Warning...Jounin-level...blah, blah, blah...come on...ah-ha! _'Katon Karyuu Endan no Jutsu.'" _Naruto scribbled the seals and basic description before rolling the scroll back up and replacing it on the shelf. It was dark out and he really didn't want to deal with what would happen if his cousin woke up with him still poking around in room. Besides, he still had one more stop to make before he went home.

After he was sure the ink was dry on his copy, Naruto rolled it up and placed it in his jacket pocket. Giving the room one last look-over to make sure everything was in its place, Naruto stalked out of the room to leave. He frowned slightly at the apron-clad Sasuke who didn't show any since of activity other than normal breathing.

"Are you sure he'll wake up in a few minutes?" Orochi yawned and nodded. He would agree to just anything to get out of the stuffy clan house. The boy narrowed his eyes but continued on towards the door, better safe than sorry, he figured.

On his way past the kitchen, Naruto noticed a large plate of Okonomiyaki that was most likely leftovers. Grabbing a quick snack, Naruto quickly left the house and started towards the business district of Konoha; he had a very special stop to make, after all.

_**/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ **_

"Alright...door's locked, freezers are working, the displays are set for tomorrow, and the cash register is empty." Yamanaka Ino was going through the closing checklist her parents had given her before they had left for their second honeymoon. _'I know they wouldn't want to take me but why did they have to make me keep the shop open!'_

She was about to head up to take a bath and get ready for bed when someone started to knock on the glass door of the flower shop.

"Come back tomorrow, we're closed!" Ino yelled in a very un-ladylike manner. There was a brief lull in the knocking but it soon returned. Ino ignored it and started to walk to the back of the store when a voice caused her to stop.

"That's a shame, Yamanaka-san. I guess I can just use this lock of hair as a practice target for my katon jutsu's..." Ino immediately spun around and bolted to the door and hastily opened it. On the other side was the blonde boy she had met earlier holding a small bundle of hair wrapped up with a piece of wire. Her eyes lit-up and she practically flung herself at the boy who managed to stay balanced despite the force of the unexpected glomp.

"You really got it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ino beamed as she jumped up and down like a giddy schoolgirl, which she was.

Naruto managed to gather his wits and pull away from the embrace long enough to catch his breath. "N-now wait just a second! You give me that name first!" the boy managed to coughed out once he would away from the glomp.

Ino stopped bouncing around and looked at the boy with a confused expression. "Name? Oh, right! That guy who you were spying on earlier."

Naruto groaned, this girl was such a ditz. "Yes, the guy I was following earlier. What's his name?"

"Morino Ibiki, I think. I saw my dad talking to him one time when I went along with dad to the Hokage Tower."

Naruto scratched his head, something about that name was familiar but he was too tired to dwell on it. Now that he had a name he could start planning revenge. "Ibiki, huh? Alright then." Naruto tossed the lock of hair to the beaming blonde; she actually cuddled it against her cheek.

"Yes! Now I can have a piece of Sasuke-kun close to me forever!" Ino squealed as she resumed her bouncing around.

"Why are all you girls so hung-up on that guy, anyway? From what I saw of him he's not that great." Naruto asked.

Ino's countenance immediately turned maniacal as she glared at the boy. "He's the best ninja in the academy! He's strong, cute, cool, and he's an Uchiha." She stated.

"Oh, it's because he's an Uchiha, huh? If he wasn't the only one left would you still feel the same way? I mean, he wouldn't be one of a kind then. What if he wasn't even an Uchiha, would you still feel the same way?" Naruto inquired. For some reason, arguing with this girl was almost more entertaining than tiring.

The blonde thought about that for a few moments. "I guess. I mean, he's a great ninja because he's an Uchiha, you can't really separate the two. I still think I would like him, though. His personality is what I like." she decided.

Naruto nodded, he expected that. Something did occur to him, though. "His personality? He's not really like that, you know." At Ino's questioning look, Naruto elaborated. "You remember the Uchiha massacre and how he was the only person left after that; it changed him. I knew him before all that happened, he was a bit cocky but pretty normal; nothing like he his now."

"Well, people change..." Ino mumbled.

"That's true, but how much of you liking him is because you actually want him and how much is it just to get him before anyone else? If you really love someone for who they are you have to try your best no matter what...of course, sounds like a dumb little school-girl crush to me." Naruto deadpanned.

Ino's mood changed from introspective to deadly as soon as the last words were out of the boy's mouth. "I'm getting love advice from someone who's after a woman at least three times his own age? I have a much better chance at getting Sasuke-kun than you will ever have with that woman!" Ino shot back.

"She's only 24 and I have more of a chance with Anko-chan since she actually notices the opposite sex!" Naruto shot back. "She's also got something called a personality; Sasuke should look into getting one of those."

"Oh please, you're 12 years-old! What kind of woman, or girl, would go for **you**? You're argumentative, loud, annoying, egotistical, and did I mention **annoying**!" Ino huffed.

"Don't forget a better shade of blonde than you, too." Naruto spited. "Really, bleach much?"

Ino clinched her fist and shook it at the boy. "Bastard! My hair is a hundred times better than yours! I, at least, practice daily grooming. I'm surprised you can even walk out in public with that mop and not have ANBU mistake it for some sort of wild animal feasting on your scalp!"

The two glared at each other for a few moments before both spun on their heels and stomped off; Ino into her shop and Naruto away from said shop.

_**-------------------**_

"Annoying blonde..." Naruto mumbled to himself as he drew close to his apartment.

Orochi lifted his head from his collared sanctuary and chuckled to himself. The little side trip had turned into quite a show. He could only hope the boy ran into that purple-haired female to make the night perfect; life was so interesting outside of the snake court.

"Orochi, what exactly happened back there?" Naruto asked as he walked.

The snake tilted his head in thought before answering. "If I had to put it into words...I would say the loud female completely dominated you at the end there. You had a few good insults but the rant on your hair clenched her victory."

"That's not what I was talking about!" Naruto snapped. "Why did I even get into that dumb argument? Why did I even provoke her in the first place?" the boy asked more sedately.

"What's with the attitude? You seemed to be enjoying yourself." Orochi noted. The snake was certain the boy enjoyed himself almost as much as Orochi had enjoyed watching it.

Naruto stopped walking and leaned back against a light post. Orochi didn't know what the boy was doing but he remained quiet. He could see the signs that Naruto was trying to work something out.

"That's the problem..." Naruto finally said after a few minutes. His eyes shifted down to the serpent coiled around his neck while his lips drew into a forced half-smile. "I did enjoy it and I don't know why."

"Well maybe you are really a psychopath that likes to inflict annoyance on others?" Orochi provided. The glare Naruto sent him was a clear sign the Genin didn't share his opinion.

The snake sighed, seems the boy wasn't going to get over this until he had his answer. Fine, if that's the way he wanted it...

"Could it be that you liked her?" Orochi asked in a level tone. The snake winced when the blonde lived up to his loud reputation.

"What! No way I could like someone like that!" Naruto all but yelled. "Besides, I like Anko-chan." he pointed out.

Orochi sighed, time to fight with logic. "Look, you're eleven. You can't tie yourself to one female, especially one that is so..._difficult _to get..." Orochi chose his words very carefully. The last time he had told the boy the purple-haired woman wouldn't eventually come around they had argued for hours. The blueish-serpent had no wish to ruin his good night with something like that, not if he could have oh so much fun planting the seeds of doubt in the boy.

"It's called dedication! I wouldn't betray Anko-chan." Naruto reasoned.

"You're not betraying anything just by having a small like for someone else. You're young, enjoy life and see where other roads can take you. It's not like you'll be getting married or anything if you simply like another girl. Get to know her or something..." Orochi prodded.

Naruto slouched even more on the light post. "I don't like that loudmouth, it's just fun ticking her off. It's not like I'll ever see her again, anyway..." he mumbled.

_'Time to go in for the kill..._' Orochi thought. "It might be for the best, I suppose. She's already picked the best male for her. That Uchiha whelp is mature too, no wonder she likes him." the snake coyly added.

Naruto tensed as again glared at his serpentine companion. "You're insane! Are you saying he would be a better boyfriend than I would? He's colder than a Hyoton jutsu! She is the complete opposite of him, he'd be a horrible boyfriend to someone like her." the boy argued.

"Hmmm...you're right, you would probably be a better match for her." Orochi agreed. The snake really felt like cackling right then.

"Of course I would! I mean, we're similar. No, wait!" Naruto almost slapped himself for falling into Orochi's trap. "Not that I want to be her boyfriend! I don't even know her name."

"True...but you sound like you'd like to know." the snake taunted.

Naruto snorted and started to sulk towards his apartment again. The only response he gave was a short 'whatever' as the pair disappeared into the night...

* * *

Yeah, crazy chapter, I know. I was in a funny mood when I wrote most of this...weird. Anyway, lemme go ahead and give you my answer a question I'm sure you're all going to ask: I won't divulge the pairings! Keep speculating until I do so in a chapter, mwhahahaha! Three potential girls in the mix...so much fun. I'm trying to make this story more realistic in the romantic sense. Most Naruto stories have the characters shack-up in the first few chapters with sudden revelations or something; that is bull. Naruto's young, of course he's going to have crushes and such, doesn't mean they will amount to anything, though. See you next chapter! 

Important Announcment: Some of you are going to go, "wtf, why is Naruto weak! He has much more chakra in the manga/show!" in the reviews. I'm asking you not to do this since it's a major plot point later-on in the story. Thanks!

**_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_  
Jutsu List!  
_/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/_**

_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Skill)**_  
Using a contract, seal, and the users blood, allows the user to summon an animal. The type of the animal is determined by the contract used, and the blood is the 'signature'(Which can be on a scroll, tattoo, etc). C-A Class jutsu depending on the animal summoned.

_**Katon: Housenka no Jutsu (Mythical Fire Flower Skill)**_  
A jutsu that sends multiple blasts of fire from the mouth, usually with one target in mind. Shurikens can also be hidden inside the flames, creating an element of surprise. C-Class jutsu.

_**Katon: Karyuu Endan (Fire Dragon Flame Blast)**_  
A Katon (flame type) Ninjutsu technique where the ninja inhales deeply, drawingin a full chest of air. They then exhale, producing a very wide stream of flamesthat approach their target as a huge wall. A-Class


	9. Fear and Lusting in Leaf Land

Ok, the only thing I have to say about this chapter is that just because the chapter title sounds hentai-ish, doesn't mean that it is...well, it's not really hentai-ish...nothing that would push it to the M rating, anyway. Since I don't have much to say, I'll fill up the remaining 'notes space' by informing you of a random fact about myself! Joy!

Fact: I write in the mood of whatever music I'm listening to/TV I'm watching. Yeah...this chapter is going to be strange/silly/fluffy/perverted/serious since I was watching a Chobits marathon. Such a strange direction I'm taking this story...anyway, enjoy the silly beginning of this chapter, it gets more serious later on, promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, grammar mistakes, punctuation errors, past/present tense miscalculations, filler chapters, OR the blueprints for a flux capacitor. Beat **_that_**, prescription pill bottle warnings!

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**Chapter 9: Fear and Lusting in Leaf-Land**

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Weekday mornings at the Uchiha compound was usually quite the production. Making breakfast, staring the laundry, early-day cleaning, ect. Today was different, however, as Sasuke found himself face down in the middle of a hallway. He really didn't know how he got in this position but the last thing he remembered was heading to the bathroom to wash-up after dinner. With help from the wall, he managed to pull himself up.

"What the hell happened to me last night?" the young Uchiha groaned as he clutched his head. He had a headache and his foot hurt, much to his surprise. The cause for the latter seemed to be two small holes that were still bleeding slightly. Suddenly, his eyes snapped to full attention and he frantically fumbled down the stairs towards the kitchen.

"No...no! Please say it isn't so!" Sasuke raved. He practically flew thought the house on his way into the kitchen area of the compound. All at once, he was quiet. For several minutes the only sound was his heavy breathing as he took in the sight of a single plate sitting on the countertop.

Numbly, he stumbled over to it and threw it into the wall where it shattered into a million pieces. He sunk to his knees with a haunted look in his eyes; it was as if his entire world was as shattered as the dinner plate. In the deep reseses of his mind, he picked the only logical culprit of this world-shattering event: his older brother and the bane of his young existance, Uchiha Itachi.

"My okonomiyaki...damn you, that was supposed to be my breakfast...**damn you to hell, Itachiiiiiiii!**" he screamed as a all the birds in the abandoned Uchiha block took flight.

Somewhere in River Country, a young man with red eyes sneezed...

**_-------------------_**

"Naruto-kun!" Anko squealed in a very girlish manner as she leapt at Naruto. The blonde mearly smirked as casually wrapped his arm around his purple-haired girlfriend. "I've missed you!" she sighed as she practically molded to the arm around her.

"I know, I know. You know how it is though, Anko-chan! I have all these S-Class missions the Hokage practically begs me to do for him. If I didn't know the village would practically fall apart without me I would turn him down some time." Naruto sighed.

Anko's eyes practically turned into stars as she stared at him. "You're so amazing, Naruto-kun! You should be declared the King of Fire Country for all the hard work you do!"

Naruto chuckled as the purple-haired woman led him inside the enormous Uchiha compound. "I wouldn't go that far, Anko-chan." he said, trying to be humble but failing miserably.

"Naruto-sama!" Naruto looked up just in time to see an exuberant Tenten running towards him from down the stairs. "You're finally back!" she cooed as she snuggled his free arm. Naruto smiled to himself, utterly content.

The happy trio made their way into the kitchen where Naruto could smell something good cooking. On the stove was an enormous pot of ramen that had 'King Naruto' painted on the side of it. Naruto took a seat at the large table with Tenten and Anko on either side of him.

"Mmmmm...ramen! You girls spoil me, you know?" Naruto chuckled.

"Naruto-sama! I've got something very special for you..." Naruto looked over to the refrigerator to see a blonde with a very long ponytail licking her lips. "Girls, we have to do something extra special for our dear Naruto-sama after he just came back from his super-amazing mission, right?" the blonde girl asked with a smirk.

Before Naruto could say anything, Anko and Tenten squealed in delight and, in a poof of smoke, all three were suddenly dressed in what could only be described as a ramen bikini. Naruto could only stare as the three girls conversed on him...

"...do you think we should wake him up, Kakashi?" Anko asked from her spot in the doorway of Naruto's bedroom.

The one-eyed Jounin that was looking over her shoulder sighed as Naruto broke-out into a string of lecherous giggles in his sleep. "Well, I'm really hungry..." he groaned.

Anko snorted. How this man survived in ANBU for all those years was still a mystery to her; Kakashi's very survival depended on someone who was over half his age, it seemed. "Can't you fix anything yourself? The brat obviously had a rough first day if he didn't remember to set his clock." the purple-haired woman countered.

"Hehehe...but if I eat that ramen you'll be naked, Anko-chan..."

Anko's head slowly swiveled back over to the sleeping Genin like she was possessed. Kakashi, being the pervert that he his, leaned in closer to hear all of the juicy details.

"...oh, Tenten-chan, too? I don't think the four of us can fit into that giant ramen pot..." Naruto blurted out. The poor boy was blissfully unaware of the murderous glint in Anko's eyes as the Special Jounin fought-down the urge to see him bleed.

Kakashi had to whistle at that. "Wow, when the kid dreams he dreams big, huh? Not only you and his friend from the academy, but another girl too! Not even Jiraiya-sama could come-up with something this good." Kakashi mused. He was quickly silenced as the killing intent in the room rose several degrees.

Anko simply opted to fling the nearest object she could get her hands on at the happy blonde; why should he get to have happy dreams this late in the day when she was very much awake? With a sickening thud, an alarm clock impacted with Naruto's head sending him sprawling off of his bed.

"What the hell was that?-!" Naruto yelled as he scurried to his feet, expecting some sort of ninja attack. Of course, it didn't occur to him that he was a mere Genin and wouldn't constitute a threat to anyone that would go to the trouble of attacking him with ninja.

What greeted him was the very eerie smile of Mitarashi Anko who standing in his bedroom doorway. The images of his dream flooded his head and he quickly averted his eyes from overtly staring at anything that would cut his career as a ninja short.

Kakashi was trying his best to keep from laughing at his poor nephew but he wasn't doing a very good job of it. He finally decided to leave the boy to Anko and quickly found himself sitting in the living room.

"Now, Naruto-_kun_..." Anko said in a husky voice as she sauntered towards the wide-eyed boy. She leaned over slightly and put her cheek flush with his so that her lips were right by his ear. "If you are going to dream about me, come up with some better playmates than those young girls you know at the academy." she whispered seductively. "I like your ideas with the food, though. I love a guy with a pallet for fine dinning." she ended with a small lick to his earlobe. She made a show of swaying her hips as she walked out of the room, not even having to turn around to know that the poor boy fainted dead away once she was out of sight.

"You are the devil incarnate, you know that?" Kakashi asked as he watched his nephew fall over with a slight nosebleed and a really stupid smile. "Now he he's never going to want to wake up."

Anko shrugged. "You're such a mother hen, Kakashi. I practically made the brats day. Just look at how happy he was!" she taunted, slightly proud that she could have that kind of effect on another human being. The special Jounin smirked at the indignant snort that came from the famous copy-ninja; such a kill-joy. It was at this, she noticed the Konoha hitai-ate laying on the coffee table in Naruto's living room. Picking it up, she cracked a small smile. "Looks like the brat passed." she murmured to herself as she ran her fingers over the cold steel.

"I'm not a mother hen. If I was then I'd never let you anywhere near him." Kakashi pointed out in his usual lazy tone, not catching her latter comment.

Anko laughed a bit. "You thing I'm a bad influence? Who was the one that got him hooked on Icha Icha Paradise?" the woman countered as he put the metal plate back on the table.

Kakashi was about to come up with a witty response but was interrupted by a loud banging on the door. Both adults blinked, since when did Naruto ever have company other than the two of them? With a shrug from Kakashi Anko made her way over to the door. When she opened it, she was met with one very annoyed-looking kunoichi and a Gai clone.

"Oh, Tenten and Lee, of course." Anko said mostly to herself. She noted the polished hitai-ate that they were wearing. "You guys passed too?" she asked, mostly directing that at Lee. How the boy managed to pass the final exam not being able to mold chakra was beyond her understanding.

Tenten blushed under the attention. "Uh, yeah! It was no big deal, you know?" she laughed, not used to praise from adults.

Lee, on the other hand, soaked-up attention like a sponge. "Yosh! We passed with the flaming passion of youth!" he exclaimed.

"Er...right." Anko agreed. She really didn't know how to deal with Gai so a clone of his wasn't any easier to deal with in her opinion. "Anyway, are you guys looking for Naruto? He's here but he might have a team meeting or something later so I don't know how long he can talk." Anko added.

"That's fine," Tenten said. "We're his team. He's late for our mission so Gai-sensei told us to come and wake him up." she said, reverting back to her annoyed look.

Off in the living room, Kakashi almost fell out of his chair. "Gai is your Jounin instructor?" the copy-nin asked with extreme sympathy lacing his voice. Anko was trying to hold in a laugh; now she knew why the brat was so tired, Gai probably ran him ragged the first day.

Tenten immediately picked up on the hidden condolence and sighed. "Yes, it seems we did something horrible in our past lives and are paying for it now." she groaned. Lee, oblivious as always, simply beamed as he reminisced on the happiest day of his life.

"Anyway, Naruto's still..._asleep_...so you might be waiting for awhile." Anko admitted. The boy was probably still laying sprawled-out on his bedroom floor in those ridiculous pajamas.

Tenten sighed. She turned to Lee who was still daydreaming and poked him to get his attention. "Lee, go get Naruto and carry him to the mission location while I'll grab some of his clothes."

"Hai! We can't keep Gai-sensei waiting!" Lee announced as he ran past an amused Anko. After a few moments, the green-clad Genin rushed out of the room carrying a still unconscious Naruto over his shoulder; doggy nightcap and all. "Yosh! We'll head to the flower shop, Tenten!" Lee said as he sprinted down the apartment building's hallway with his blonde cargo.

"Flower shop?" Kakashi asked. Tenten nodded as she grabbed a few things from Naruto's room; his favorite red shirt, black pants, and Anko-ish overcoat. She noticed a sleeping Orochi sprawled-out on Naruto's dresser and made a mental note of how alike pet and pet owner were before leaving the reptile to its sleep.

"Yeah, it's our first mission as Team Two!" Tenten answered happily. "It's a D-Class mission to help run a business while the owners are out of town. They left their daughter in charge but they left the request with the Hokage office for some spare help over the week." she informed.

Kakashi nodded; he remembered what it was like to do D-class missions. Well, he remembered doing all that many since he made Chuunin after only a few months as a Genin, but still. "Doesn't sound too hard. You guys have fun." he added. Tenten smiled at that and started to leave before Anko caught her arm.

"Hey, when Naruto wakes up ask him if likes to mix food with fun." Anko chirped in a giddy voice while holding out Naruto's hitai-ate. Tenten could hear Kakashi sigh from across the room but nodded anyway while she took the offered item, she wasn't about to question a crazy Special Jounin like Anko.

"You are pure evil." Kakashi noted once Tenten was gone. Anko's only response was a _very _creepy laugh as she walked into Naruto's kitchen to raid his refrigerator.

**_-------------------_**

For the second time today, Naruto opened his eyes and took in the morning. This time, he noted, there were no crazy kunoichi looming over him. The mere thought of his morning meeting with Anko threatened to give him a nosebleed. Of course, by this time the blonde noted a few things: first, he was in his pajamas. Normally this would be the norm for someone who had just woke up, but this was not a good thing when the second thing he noticed became evident.

"I'm...in the village?" he asked himself, not really believing it. The world was shaking and his back felt like it was about to crack in half. He looked down and saw a distinctive pair of leg-warmers along with bright green spandex and instantly drew a conclusion.

"Lee! What the hell are you doing!" Naruto shouted.

The spandex-clad Lee looked over his shoulder mid-run and saluted in his usual style. "Yosh! You were late to the meeting, Naruto-kun! Tenten and I had to come and get you!" Lee said as if that explained everything.

Naruto took a calming breath and quickly dislodged himself from Lee's shoulder. This turned out to be a bad idea as the blonde's footy pajama's were ruined from skidding on the ground as Naruto fought to stay upright. Lee was really moving so he must have been really late, not that it justified being abducted from his own home.

"Now, tell my again why the hell I'm in the middle of the village!" Naruto demanded. As several people started to laugh, he quickly snatched his doggy nightcap off his head. He swore to himself he would burn the thing when he returned home.

To Naruto's relief, Tenten soon caught up to the pair with a full change of clothes for the boy and an intelligent explanation as to why he was abducted. Since he couldn't very well run into a random house and change, Naruto was forced to wait until they got to the client's house to change. He did, however, put his trench coat on to lesson his shame.

"So, what's the mission? Did Ojiisan give us something interesting to do?" Naruto asked Tenten as they followed Lee.

"Not really, we have to help some girl run a shop while her parents are out of town." Tenten responded.

Naruto's warning sense started to go off in the back of his head but before he could delve into what was causing it, Lee drew all attention to him as he announced that they were at their destination.

"Oh hell no..." Naruto said dumbly as he saw a familiar blonde girl speaking with his sensei.

The blonde was now actively trying to think of a good excuse to leave when he was trapped by Gai's big mouth. "My youthful students! Come meet our client for the next week!" the Jounin called out in his usual, expressive manner.

Ino winced at the volume. She was defiantly going to have a nice chat with her parents on their choice of hired help. She smiled weakly at the man before turning to see the students he had bragged on for the last thirty minutes.

The first one she noticed was Lee; she cringed at the mini-Gai and made a note to keep him and his deranged teacher away from the customers. Next was Tenten who seemed somewhat normal; maybe she would be good for manning the register? The last boy, oddly enough, looked to be trying to hide his face behind the Gai-clone. She noted that he had a nice shade of blonde hair, if a bit unkept. The thought of hair led her mind to the small bit of string she was wearing around her neck and the treasure tied to it. Of course, this led to her thinking of the annoying boy she forced into retrieving her Uchiha treasure and that led to...

"...**It's you!" **Ino yelled as she pointed to the other blonde. Tenten and Lee looked at Naruto, obviously expecting some sort of explanation.

Naruto flinched, time to face the music. He sheepishly stepped from behind Lee and half-smiled. "Pleased to see me, princess?" Naruto decided to try and get a rise out of the girl; why he wanted too was something he didn't want to delve too far into.

Ino's face shifted into a glare/pout that Naruto couldn't help but find cute. He, of course, mentally scolded himself for this. "It's Ino and I should have known you would be on a team like this." she snorted. Unlike Lee and Gai who didn't catch the insult, Tenten sighed; such a nice reputation they were already gaining. She turned to Naruto who was almost wilting under the blonde girl's glare.

"You two know each other?" Tenten asked.

"You could say that..." Naruto sighed.

Ino took a closer look at the boy and scoffed. "Are those footy pajamas? Do they even make those anymore?" she asked, simply to be an annoyance.

Naruto scowled at the girl. "For your information, I just got up. You should be happy that I'm so devoted to my team that I just dropped everything to be here for the mission." Naruto lied as he regained his cool composure.

"Devotion, right." Tenten parroted in a sarcastic tone. "Lee had to physically drag you out of your bed to get you here."

Before Naruto could retaliate, Gai stepped forward and made a sweeping motion at his three students. "Yamanaka-san! For the next week my students shall be at your disposal! They will follow your orders as if they were my own, right?" Gai asked with a somewhat authoritative voice.

Tenten, Lee, and even Naruto grudgingly nodded their heads in agreement. It was an official mission and it wasn't as if he could just leave it incomplete. Besides, what could one academy student do to him? At the sight of Ino's sinister smile, Naruto could only continue to try and come-up with reasons to not be afraid.

"Well then, you guys had better get inside before the morning rush!" Ino chirped, doing a complete personality, replacing her former sinister smile with a sickly-sweet one. "Everyone into the shop!"

With a groan from Tenten and Naruto, the pair entered the shop while Gai was showing Lee the new training weights he had brought him. Tenten was tempted to call favoritism but Naruto cautiously reminded her that if she said too much about it Gai might try and take her under his wing as well. Such a thought quickly killed any lingering complaints in Tenten's mind.

Once Tenten and Naruto were inside the shop, they took a quick look around. It was a cozy place, Naruto had to admit, and it had a homely feeling to it. Obviously, it was the pride and joy of the Yamanaka family if the perfect state it was in was any indication.

"Are you done gawking?" Ino asked, slightly annoyed. Naruto blinked a few times and looked over at the other blonde. Ino looked annoyed and Tenten was just looking at him with a questioning expression; seems she didn't spend as much time as he did appreciating the shop.

"Uh, do you have somewhere I can change? I really don't want to work in my pajamas..." Naruto asked, ignoring Ino's question.

Ino rolled her eyes and pointed to a door that lead deeper into the shop. "You can change in the back. Don't take all day because I have plenty of stuff for you to do!" she ordered. Naruto mumbled something about 'bossy blondes' as he took his clothes from Tenten. Once he was in the back, Ino showed Tenten how the register worked. The bun-haired girl caught on fairly quickly as she had a knack for figuring out how things worked.

Naruto quickly whipped off his trench coat and pajama top only to scowl at the state of his beloved bed attire; the footies were completely ruined thanks to Lee. "And these had the snakes on them. Damn Lee, this was my favorite pair!" Naruto whined.

"Not only do you have bad hair, you also have bad taste."

Naruto jumped at the voice and quickly whipped around only to see the amused face of Ino. "What would you know about style? You're wearing bandages for Kami's sake." Naruto retorted. "And next time knock before you barge in on someone that's changing!"

Ino, still simmering about the bandage comment, stomped her foot in consternation. "This is **my **place, urchin-head." Ino snarled. "Besides, who would want to look in on _you_?" Ino said as if he was the most repulsive thing on the face of the planet.

Naruto smirked and made a show of his chest when he shrugged. "Well, you obviously don't mind the show too much if you're still here. I hope you don't spend all my time here just being eye-candy for you, Ino-_sama_." Naruto taunted. He was rewarded with Ino blushing from head to toe.

"Oh, Ino-sama! You're looking a bit flushed, maybe I should tend to you like a good servant?" Naruto asked, continuing his embarrassing assault. The blonde girl started to stutter incoherently and quickly back-tracked out of the room in flushed defeat. Naruto smirked to himself; all of Anko's stunts were starting to payoff by the looks of things.

Upon hearing Lee and Gai stomp into the shop, Naruto decided to hurry and change. Now with his favorite red shirt/black pants combo, he felt more at ease about this entire mission. Well, that was before he was hit with something as soon as he walked out of the back room.

Naruto pulled the garment off of his face and scowled at a still flushed Ino. The blonde girl readily returned the glare and pointed at bundle of cloth in Naruto's hands.

"Put that on and start cleaning the display cases!" Ino ordered. Naruto unfolded the garment and almost gagged...almost.

It was an apron with a flower on the front of it but that wasn't the worst part. "You want me to wear a _pink _apron!" Naruto asked in disbelief.

Ino smirked as her skin color returned to its normal shade. "It's standard Yamanaka Flower Shop dress code." Ino said with a smirk.

"Why isn't everyone else wearing one, huh?" Naruto demanded. There was no way in hell he was going to wear something like this.

"They're all in the wash execpt for that one. Since you're such a good _servant_, as you put it, you shouldn't mind wearing it for the day. Now, put it on and get to work!" Ino barked. Naruto was about to go to ballistic on the bossy blonde but a glare from Gai, who was replacing stock in the middle display, quickly shut the boy up. With an audible growl, that everyone pretended not to hear, Naruto slipped on his pink apron and stomped over to the glass display cases. At least he used his trench coat to cover up the abomination; of course, Tenten snickering every time she saw him wasn't helping his self-esteem. In his mind, the Uchiha heir was plotting all kinds of sweet revenge on a not-so-innocent Ino...

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Across town another creature was stirring. The slitted eyes of Orochi suddenly gained focus as a sign that the serpent was awake from his slumber. With a lazy yawn, the snake uncurled from his sleeping coil and looked around for his charge. Seeing the state of the boy's bed, he figured the blonde must already be up.

With a small bit of effort the snake managed to get down from his spot on Naruto's dresser. Slithering toward the kitchen, where he heard voices, he was annoyed to find the purple-haired human and the cyclops gorging themselves. They both reciprocated the sentiments with duel groans when they saw the bluish-serpent.

"Where's the kid?" Orochi asked as he slithered up the table leg to place himself directly between the two shinobi.

Anko snorted, she never had liked this particular snake and it wasn't because of his name. "He had a mission." she answered as she tore into another pancake.

"And he didn't take me?" Orochi asked as if he were actually offended. In reality, he didn't mind the extra time to lounge but still, the brat should have at least asked him if he wanted to go.

"Why do you care? It's not like you have any use." the Special Jounin taunted. It was amusing to chop the reptile's ego down a few notches in her opinion, especially considering his pompous attitude.

"About as useful as you are, _female_." Orochi hissed, literally. Anko looked absolutely murderous with that comment. Another thing Anko hated about Orochi, he found women more useful for comedic relief than as shinobi.

Before the irate woman could stab Orochi with her fork, Kakashi coughed to get their attention. "Uh, Naruto should be back in a few hours." he said to take both parties thought process away from mutual homicide.

The two parties glared at each other for a few more moments before Anko snorted and left the table to get more pancakes. Orochi took this as a sign of victory and slithered off towards the living room's sofa to wait for Naruto/bask in the sun. The rest of breakfast went well until Kakashi made the mistake of informing Anko that she and Orochi fought like snakes and mongooses. He had to endure much torment/ranting for the rest of his meal because of that...

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"Get this thing off of me!" Naruto exclaimed as he practically bounded out of the flower shop. The pink abomination he was forced to wear sailed past an amused Tenten and Lee as the duo followed Naruto.

"Don't get it dirty!" Ino scolded as she too followed the trio outside. "You have to put it right back on again after lunch!"

Naruto gave the object in the girl's hands a glare that he was sure could make it catch on fire. Sadly, the flowery apron remained in one piece. "I still think you're bitchy because I wouldn't prance around without a shirt for you." Naruto retorted with a smug smirk. Ino, now mostly immune to Naruto's crude taunts, snorted and neatly folded the apron.

"Like anyone would want to see your scrawny chest." Ino returned. Naruto was taken back at her jab and Tenten started to giggle at the two.

Seeing that Naruto was about to start a war when Lee interrupted him. True be told, he was a bit tired of the back and forth between Naruto and Ino and he wanted some peace.

"Naruto! How about we have a spar before lunch?" Lee suggested. Naruto, still glaring at a smiling Ino and giggling Tenten, nodded and followed Lee out to the backyard to get some room.

Naruto felt a bit sorry for Lee; he was going to work-off his agitation at Ino on him during the match. Of course, he still had to pay the green-clad boy back for ruining his pajamas so he didn't feel too bad for him. Gai stood off to the side snacking on a box of crackers, content to simply watch the match.

With a bit of flourish, Naruto whipped his Kusari-Fundo from his trench coat. He was lucky Tenten had grabbed the coat that she did since it was the one that held his weapon of choice. Seeing Ino watching him with a bored expression made him want to impress her(just to show her how great he was, he told himself) so he twirled the chain around.

"Mind if I use some ninjutsu, Lee? I have a new one I want to tryout." Naruto asked.

Lee smiled and pulled out his brass knuckles. "Yosh! We should always do our best!" the boy exclaimed in his usual Gai-like fashion. He gave a thumbs up at his sensei, which was returned readily, before starting to do simple stretches. The taijutsu enthusiast was finding it difficult to adjust to the leg weights but he didn't think they would hinder him too much in the opening moves of the fight. Naruto cracked his joints to make sure he was limber; it wouldn't do to get hit by Lee with his knuckles, those things would leave a welt.

Off to the side, the two girls were having a chat about the match while Lee and Naruto did warm-ups. "So, who do you think will win?" Ino asked.

"Lee." Tenten answered firmly. Gai sagely nodded his head off to the side as if it was the most obvious thing in the world but no one paid him any attention.

"Figures." Ino snorted. "I knew that guy was all show and no action." she said, referring to Naruto.

Tenten chuckled to herself and shook her head. "That's not why Lee will win." she said. At Ino's confused face, Tenten elaborated with a raised finger, reminding the blonde girl of an academy teacher talking to a stupid student. "Naruto's specialty is ninjutsu and chakra manipulation. He can't use his better skills in a cramped place like your backyard so he'll probably stick to his weapon skills or maybe, if he gets desperate, he might use _Shikyaku no Jutsu _but I don't think he'll last that long." Tenten elaborated. It wasn't until after she said it did the Genin realized she had said Naruto knew a clan-specific jutsu.

Ino was about to ask about the jutsu Tenten had mentioned but Gai's bellowing voice cut her off.

"Lee, Naruto! Fight with the fires of youth!" the Jounin exclaimed. Tenten was thankful for the distraction and the two boys took that as a queue to start their spar.

Lee, with a bit of effort, whipped his foot around for a roundhouse kick. This caught Naruto off-guard since the blonde was expecting Lee to start with his fists.

With surprising reflexes, Naruto blocked the foot with his Kusari-Fundo. The blonde was straining, however, now that Lee had about fifty extra pounds of lead on each of his legs. Bracing his muscles, Naruto pushed Lee's foot with as much force as he could muster. The other boy simply dropped his left foot and spun around for a mule kick with his right. Naruto was completely caught off-guard by the sudden change and had no chance to parry as Lee's foot hit him squarely in the solar plexus.

Everyone present winced in sympathy as Naruto went flying into a nearby tree. The impact shook it enough that a hail of leaves covered the boy as he gasped for breath. Since it was a sparing match, Lee returned to his ready stance and waited for Naruto to get back to his feet, although he was wearing a small smirk.

Naruto gagged and coughed for awhile before getting onto shaky feet. It was shocking, he thought, that Lee could still hit him with those massive weights. His disbelief must have been apparent since Lee decided to comment on it. "Surprised, Naruto-kun?"

"Seems I wasn't the only person holding back my abilities in the Academy, huh? What's next; Tenten turns out to be a Hyuuga or something?" Naruto joked as he used the tree to brace himself.

Tenten looked genuinely offended and glared at the boy from the side. "I'll be the one kicking your ass tomorrow!" she yelled.

Naruto laughed a bit and rubbed his lower chest. That kick was executed with amazing accuracy and fluidity. What was more, Lee actually tricked the blonde with the brass knuckles; Naruto wasn't expecting a kick.

"Looks like I should get serious; right, Lee?" Naruto asked as he whipped his Kusari-Fundo over his shoulder. Only now did he regret the lack of his serpentine partner, a two-on-one assault would work well, here. Racking his brain, Naruto tried to think of a jutsu that would work on his green-clad opponent.

Deciding to take a risk, he started to go though a set of hand seals. When Naruto ended the sequence on Tiger, Tenten and Gai tensed, ready to step in if Naruto looked to destroy anything major with whatever fire jutsu he was using.

"**_Katon: Housenka no Jutsu_**!" The individual fireballs Naruto spit at Lee made the other Genin stay on guard. Lee realized that simply dodging this new jutsu wasn't going to be enough so once he cartwheeled away from the latest fireball, he rushed forward.

Naruto was already on the move when Lee started his charge. With a flash of seals, he took a deep breath and called his attack when Lee was half-way to his position. "**_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu_**!"

Lee froze; Naruto would use an attack like that in a sparring match? Knowing that there was no way that he could dodge a Grand Fireball, Lee quickly threw his arms out in front of his face to protect himself.

"Got you." Naruto said once he saw Lee rush to defend. He quickly whipped his chain around and sent it snaking towards the Genin lighting-quick. In an amazing feat, the chain lengthened to incredible proportions and wrapped around the confused Lee before he even had time to grasp that he had been tricked. "Now for the finisher...**_Hagane Wana!" _**

The chains painfully constricted around the stultified Genin, glowing a faint blue color. Lee was wrapped like a mummy in steel bandages and only his head could be seen sticking out from the mass of metal. Naruto smiled as he pulled his end of the Kusari-Fundo taut. "I win that one!" he happily chirped. Once Lee (grudgingly)nodded, Naruto released the jutsu and the chain returned to its normal dimensions.

"Wow..." was all Ino could say as Naruto and Lee walked back over to the others. Her backyard looked like a battle zone what with all the potholes caused by the _Housenka no Jutsu _but she didn't care. "That was way better than the demonstrations put on by the Academy teachers!"

Lee got starry-eyed from the praise while Naruto flushed. At least he got Ino to appreciate his skills, Naruto thought.

Tenten smiled and playfully hit Lee's shoulder. "Baka, you should have known Naruto would pull something like that! You should have watched his seals and see if he used a _tiger _sign in there before defending! You know he couldn't do a fire jutsu without that one. And here I thought you would win!" she scolded. Lee's posture sagged under Tenten's lighthearted scolding and Naruto fought the urge to laugh; Tenten was a natural buzz kill.

"But, Tenten, I beat him in the first round!" Lee defended. It was really a whine but no one could blame the boy; Tenten was a harsh mistress. "Our score is tied one to one and it's not like I actually got hurt!"

Naruto blinked; they were keeping score now? Despite his misgivings, he was going to defend Lee but Ino cut him off before he could get any words out of his mouth.

"What was that chain thing you did?" Ino asked. Naruto blinked; just what were they teaching the younger students in the Academy?

"It was just chakra manipulation, nothing special." Naruto answered. "If you're good enough, you can channel your chakra though anything and turn it into a weapon. For example..." Naruto walked over to the Yamanaka's personal garden and picked one of the longer flowers. Ino was watching him intently and Tenten and Lee were paying attention as well.

Naruto closed his eyes in concentration. A blue glow enveloped the flower and Naruto tossed it stem-first at the same tree he had crashed into. The flower deftly sank into the bark like a shuriken would.

"See?" Naruto asked. "With a bit of chakra, you can reinforce things as well as manipulate them like I did to my Kusari-Fundo. It's really not practical to do that since it takes a lot of concentration, though. If you can mold it into a jutsu, like my _Mugen Kusari no Jutsu_, then you can do it on the fly since the hand seals will do all the initial molding for you."

Tenten nodded her approval of the explanation and Lee just looked confused. Well, he really didn't understand the basics of chakra control so he figured that was the reason he didn't get it.

Ino looked thoughtful for a moment before pinning Naruto under a stare, not her usual glare. "Teach me." she ordered.

Naruto took a step back from the blonde. She looked so serious! "What? Why should I do that?"

"Because I'm your boss!" Ino replied.

Naruto scoffed. "You wouldn't even be able to understand it since you're a year behind me in terms of education. I mean, you probably can't even mold chakra let alone-"

The boy was cutoff by Ino grabbing a rose from the same flowerbed that Naruto had plucked his makeshift weapon. With the flick of her wrist, she sent the rose flying at the tree Naruto had used as his target, impaling the tree right next to Naruto's but with an obvious lack of power.

"You were saying? I already can mold chakra and use it to enhance my throws, I just don't know how to make a jutsu out of it or manipulate it! Now, teach me!" Ino ordered yet again. Naruto, still shocked that Ino had proved his initial assessment wrong, stumbled to find the right words for a counter-argument. He was about to say something else about not being able to teach her when Gai finally made his presence known.

"Well, it seems our youthful employer wants to reach the pinnacle of youthfulness!" he exclaimed. Naruto just groaned; if someone wanted training Gai was behind it 100 percent.

Ino's glare and Gai's teeth sparkle eventually won Naruto over. Tenten, Gai, and Lee would run the shop for the week while Naruto helped his 'employer' with her chakra control. Now that the two were alone in the backyard, the official training area, Naruto tried to think of a good way to actually go about teaching the girl.

"Um...ok, this is what we'll do." Naruto started. He unhooked his Kusari-Fundo and tossed it at Ino who caught it. "With only your chakra, move the chain. Once you have that, we'll move on."

Ino stared at the length of metal in her hands. She tried to reach out with her chakra but she wasn't having any results. She could only transfer a bit at a time but nowhere near enough to envelop the entire chain. A soft yellow glow around her hands and a bit of the chain was all she could produce.

Naruto saw this and narrowed his eyes. "Stop, stop." he ordered. Ino looked crossly at him and pouted as a bit of perspiration rolled down her forehead. The overall cuteness effect was enough to make Naruto swallow the lump in his throat.

"O-ok. Obviously you don't have enough chakra to envelop the entire chain so we'll have you do something that will help your chakra reserves." Naruto said as he walked over to the side of the business.

"And what would that be?" Ino asked, sarcastically. "Everyone knows that kunoichi's have less chakra than you _men_." Ino hissed. Even though she knew the blonde boy didn't mean that, she couldn't help but make a jab about it. After all, that's all they were taught in the Academy.

Naruto gave her a level glare. "That's stupid." he decided. "You just have to work at it like everyone else, there are no gender limits like that. Don't listen to anything any of those idiot teachers say at the Academy." Naruto ordered as if he read her mind.

Ino actually lowered her head like a scolded child but snapped it up again once she remembered that she was supposed to be the boss in the situation. "But it's true, isn't it? You boys go off and train in taijutsu and things while we kunoichi do _flower arranging_." she said with obvious malice.

"Like I said, the classes were decided by idiots. Tenten has as much chakra as most of the guys in my class and actually beat me in Taijutsu along with Lee; all she had to do is train after school since they wasted all her time with dumb stuff like ninja cooking and crap." Naruto scoffed. "I guarantee that at the end of this week you'll be at the top of your class in chakra control and reserves; I swear it on my clan name!" Naruto declared. He briefly wondered if he was getting in over his head but his ire was already perked and he would be damned if he let Ino talk about herself like that. _'Besides; if Tenten heard her talking like that she's kick her ass, mission or not.' _he mentally added.

Ino looked at him oddly for a moment. It was as if she were trying to find proof of the lie he had just told her. Naruto raised an eyebrow allowing the inspection. After a few moments of eye contact, Ino crossed her arms.

"And just how are you going to help me get past an _Uchiha _in chakra reserves?" Ino asked. Naruto adopted his wolf grin he saved for special occasions. The other blonde noticeably shivered; she was not going to enjoy this, she decided.

Instead of saying anything, Naruto simply walked up the side of the flower shop. Once he was on the roof, two stories up, he laid down on his side and yawned. "Make it up here to me by using your chakra to stick to the wall. Be careful though, you don't want to fall and brake your neck or something." he laughed. Ino could only stare dumbly at the boy as he proceeded to fall asleep in the sun...

**_-------------------_**

If one was to look at the Hokage Tower of Konoha, they would most likely see a large building that rose into the sky for several storeys. What most people did not know, even those that have lived in the village for years, is that the tower extends into the ground almost as far as it is tall. It is deep within these catacombs where a lone figure walks out onto a small bridge that closes the gap between the massive walls of the tower that plunges into the earth.

The figure pauses for a moment as a second figure joins him on the bridge. Unlike the first, the newcomer is shorter and drops to one knee in deference to the first figure.

"Did you receive your orders?" the first figure asks.

"Of course. I would like to ask on why you are moving now, however." the second figure asked his master.

The first figure shook his head. "That is something you do not need to know. However, I will say that certain things have come to my attention that have made this course of action more favorable to my position."

Seemingly accepting this, the second figure bowed his head once more. "As you wish. When should I depart?"

"As soon as you can leave the village undetected. If that fool Sarutobi learned of this our heads will roll. Especially after he disbanded our organization. He would like nothing more than to get rid of me..." the first figure mused in a slightly amused voice.

"Of course. I'll depart tonight and carry out my mission. Will that be all, Danzo-sama?" he asked.

Danzo stepped out into the limited light offered in the dark recesses of the Tower. His grizzled face strained into a slight smile. "Yes, Sai. Although Root is gone we still carry the will of fire on our shoulders. Always remember that." the elderly man ordered as he held out a sealed letter.

The young boy lifted off his knee and took the paper with a respectful bow. "In Root there are no names or feelings. There is no past nor future, there is only the mission." the boy recited as he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"The will of us Roots supports this great tree called Konoha, invisible, from within the earth. Yes, that is the will I shall bare...for the good of the village, of course." Danzo said with a chuckle as he shuffled back into the shadows.

* * *

Wow...so this is what comes out of my mind at 1:00am...scary. Hope you liked it, it's the longest chapter I have ever done! Next time: Ino continues her training but will a certain pink-haired girl mess it up? And what's this about giant ramen pots? Tune in next time for more fun! Maybe I'll be less crazy when I start to write, but you never know! 

Note: As to Ino being able to use her chakra to reinforce a flower, I point to her fight with Sakura and the flashback of them meeting. She used a flower to shut someone up and flowers don't move like that. She had to be using something to make it a bit stronger. As to the chakra manipulation, she trapped Sakura with chakra so this isn't much different. Props to whoever can figure out what the different-colored chakra means, though. Read the latest manga chapters for an idea!

_**:Jutsu List:**_

**_Katon: Housenka no Jutsu (Mythical Fire Flower Skill)_**  
A jutsu that sends multiple blasts of fire from the mouth, usually with one target in mind. Shurikens can also be hidden inside the flames, creating an element of surprise. C-Class jutsu.

**_Mugen Kusari no Jutsu (Infinite Chain Skill)_**  
Using chakra, the user creates an amount of chain equal to the chakra put into the attack. Good chakra control can allow the user to move the chain to chase an opponent.

_**Hagane Wana (Steel Snare)  
**_Finishing move to the **_Mugen Kusari no Jutsu_**. Constricts the chain around the opponent to restrict movement like a snake would in capturing its prey.


	10. Light My Fire

Wow, ten chapters already? I can hardly believe it, folks! I wonder if this fiction will break 100,000 hits with this chapter? Maybe! Hope you like this one; read, review, and enjoy!

Ah, I think I'll start a new feature for my stories. Starting with this chapter, I'll tell you the music choice to listen to as I wrote the chapter since music is my muse. This chapter is, **"Adieu" by Emily Bindiger. **A very nice song for sad/serious scenes. It does lighten up at the end, though.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Ha! I bet you thought this would be another insanely long disclaimer like the last chapters, huh? Well, so sorry to disappoint you but it's not! Nope, just one simple line, 'I don't own Naruto!' I sure showed you, didn't I?

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**Chapter Ten: Light My Fire**  
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**

"You know, the goal of this isn't to fall on your butt, Ino!" Naruto _encouragingly _called out from the rooftop of the Yamanaka flower shop.

The young kunoichi had been at this particular exercise for the entire day and she was no closer to whipping that smirk off of her 'teacher's' face than when she started. Two hours ago she had began throwing various yard items at Naruto on her way up the side of the two storey house. At least after the boy had gotten hit with a shovel, he had stopped hanging his head over the side of the roof.

Naruto, on the other hand, was impressed with the girl's progress. In just seven short hours the loudmouthed girl had made it halfway to him. Even if she couldn't get a good grip with her chakra, she was still doing very well. The footprints on the side of the white stucco walls were a messy testament to her improvements. Each footprint was just a bit higher than the last; at this rate she would be up to him by tomorrow.

"Naruto!" Tenten's yelling caused Ino to slip mid-step and the Academy student fell back to the earth with a thud. Naruto, pausing to snicker at Ino's whining, leapt down from his rooftop perch to meet his teammate. "It's 6:00pm, time to close the shop."

Ino dusted herself off and looked up at the sun. "Wow, that late already? Did you guys remember to turn on the air-conditioned flower cases and empty the register?"

Tenten nodded just as Lee and Gai hustled out to the backyard. The Green Beast took a look at the various footprints on the wall and almost burst into tears. "Yosh! The springtime of youth that burns within your student is most impressive, Naruto!"

"Ha! That's right, soon the student shall surpass the teacher!" Ino insisted as she chuckled to herself.

"Yeah, sure. Maybe if you somehow manage to even reach me tomorrow. You're still a long way off from mastering this." Naruto taunted. Seeing the righteous indignation on Ino's face was more than enough reason to continue. "I mean, the only thing you're using your chakra for is clinging to stuff. Come up with something original and then I _might _consider you a rival." Naruto said as he dismissed the simmering girl with a wave.

Something snapped in Ino as she listened to the boy's arrogant speech and she almost completely ignored Team Two's goodbyes, hardly noticing their departure. Ino stood outside for a few minutes in a stupor, trying to reign in her rage. She actually felt her competitive spirit raise its head and demand to put the annoying blonde in his place. Her 'rivalry' with Sakura didn't inspire her nearly as much as this did as she found it to mostly be an annoyance. Physically, she was the best kunoichi in her class; no one could touch her.

However, this boy had done just that. It wasn't an actual fight, no, but his words impacted her like fists. Unlike the teachers at the Academy, he told her that a female shinobi could match any male with enough practice. He didn't coddle her, he didn't make her do mundane tasks like flower arranging or cooking; no...he treated her like an equal, something that the blonde kunoichi never had experienced before. Even if she were to become an exemplary shinobi, she would be steered towards things like teaching, Genjutsu, or medical duties. No matter how much she accomplished by herself she would always be treated like something that needed to be protected...treated like _support_.

Her fists clenched as she remembered Naruto's taunting. Even though she knew it wasn't gender-based, it still irked the kunoichi that the haughty prick thought he was so much better. She wanted to shove every taunt he'd given her during their first lesson down his throat tomorrow, she wanted..._domination..._over him.

"Oh yes, he'll be licking the bottom of my boot tomorrow!" A cold smirk graced her face as she turned to the wall yet again; after all, there were still many hours left until she opened shop tomorrow. "I'll show him I'm not the #1 Kunoichi in my class for nothing!" With that declaration, the blonde ran at the wall yet again and no matter how many times she fell, that cold smirk would still be in place as she pushed herself even farther...

**_-------------------_**

"You're such an ass, Naruto." Tenten scolded as Team Two walked though downtown Konoha.

The blonde Genin mearly smirked at his teammate. "Ah, but she's so much fun to tease!" he laughed. Lee, Tenten, and Gai all shot him looks that clearly said that it shouldn't be. "Bah! What do you guys know..." the boy huffed.

Feeling that her teammate was significantly reprimanded, Tenten brightened up a bit. "Hey, lets all go out to eat to celebrate our first mission together!" she suggested.

"Yosh! We must always remember this day for you will never have another like it, my youthful students!" Gai said, completely onboard with the idea. Of course, whatever Gai liked Lee liked so the miniature Green Beast nodded his head enthusiastically.

Eventually, the group decided on a cozy little cafe' tucked away in the back alleys of Konoha. Naruto belatedly remembered the place as the restaurant that he had seen Anko and Ibiki eating at several days ago.

Lee ordered a large glass of water, same as Gai, Tenten went with some green tea, and Naruto asked for a glass of orange juice. Once the waitress was gone, the conversation started backup again.

"So, how is your student, Naruto-kun?" Lee asked as he fidgeted in his seat. It seemed sitting still was the bane of the miniature Gai.

Naruto tilted his head in thought; how to describe the annoying blonde girl? "Well..." be began, "She has talent, I know that much. There were a few times I thought she was going to make it all the way up to me."

Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Really? I wouldn't get that idea from the way you talked to her."

Naruto almost cringed, but managed to keep a straight face. "Ah, I was just messing with her!" he whined. His eyes dulled a bit and he lost his smile as he continued. "She had some really messed up conceptions about girls and ninja." he admitted.

Hearing how this sounds, he quickly explained. "Don't think she's some helpless damsel, though! Ino's got an ego the size of the Hokage Monument and she's really independent. I just get the feeling she thinks being more interested in all-out fighting, a male dominated field, rather than subtly, the role the Academy molds kunoichi into, is 'against the rules' or rebellious. She let it become a large part of her persona because it makes her feel different. Really, she just needs some competitive fire to bring out her potential since she has such a dominative personality."

Gai, Lee, and Tenten were silent as Naruto finished up his triad. Surprisingly, Gai was the first to recover. "That was...a surprising assessment, Naruto-kun."

The blonde, mildly offended at the incredulous looks he was getting, crossed his arms and glared. "You'd be surprised what kinds of psychobabble I pickup from spending time with Anko-chan."

"Naruto..." Tenten drawled, a small smile appearing on her face. "...you were awfully _observant _of Ino today, huh?"

Tenten's teammate narrowed his eyes; he didn't like where this was going. "She's our _boss, _why shouldn't I be observant about her progress and attitude?" he asked. Lee and Gai just looked confused even as Tenten winked at them.

Frustrated that the Green Beast's were too-thickheaded to help with the jibes, the bunned girl shot Naruto a knowing look. "Oh please, you could have just showed her a few extra chakra exercises and went to sleep on that roof; instead, you constantly picked on her the entire day. In fact..." she then leaned in close to point an accusing finger at the stoic boy. "I think you were flirting with her!"

"Hoooooo!" Gai said, finally catching on to what was being implied. "The springtime of youth even captures one as hip as Kakashi's nephew!" he exclaimed, an un-holy(at least to Naruto and Tenten) fire igniting in his eyes.

"No! My rival has beaten me to getting a girlfriend!" Lee lamented. "Now I must find one of my own to catch-up! Such a formidable rival!"

Naruto's mouth was gaping very much like a fish at this point. The two taijutsu specialists were now too busy going over a list of potential girls for Lee to give him any more notice. Tenten was making up for them with her continued snickering, however.

"Hehehe, so she's your _girlfriend _now? Wow, you move quick, Naruto." the young girl managed to get out between chuckles.

Naruto's face was flushed at this point but he still had enough thought to remember one thing in this situation: revenge. Turning to the two Green Beasts, he smirked. "Lee, Gai-sensei! I know the perfect girl for Lee!" the boy declared, trying his best to look 'Gai-ish.'

Tenten, a bit quicker on the uptake than her sensei and other teammate, immediately dove to slap a hand over Naruto's mouth. The boy 'eeped' at the assault and started to squirm in the small booth to get away from the irked girl.

"Ack!" he dodged another attempt by Tenten to slap a hand over his mouth. "Lee! You should date-mph!" Naruto's muffled speech tried to come out from behind Tenten's hand but to no avail.

The kunoichi smiled sheepishly at Lee and Gai, the latter raising an inquisitive eyebrow, as she captured Naruto in a headlock. "What Naruto meant to say is that there are some pretty girls in Ino-san's class at the Academy! He was going to mention that you should try to get to know one of them." Tenten hastily explained while using her other hand to punch Naruto in the ribs whenever he tried to break her hold.

Lee immediately brightened at that but Gai raised his other eyebrow and cleared his throat. The effect of the twin uber-brows alone made Tenten and Naruto give him their utmost attention. "Naruto!" he began in a slightly reproachful voice. "You should not be pursuing Yamanaka-san if you're already dating the darling Tenten!" he practically declared to the entire restaurant.

"**You're insane!" **the 'couple' yelled in unison as Tenten released Naruto in shocked disbelief.

Gai held up his finger to silence them as he wagged it back an forth in a disapproving manner. "Don't deny it, my youthful students! It's obvious from the loving way Tenten was holding her beloved!"

Immediately, Tenten was off of Naruto and at the far side of the booth with such a blush it seemed as if someone had painted her red. Naruto, on the other hand, immediately started sputtering denials.

"_Loving? _She was choking me, you idiot!" Naruto yelled. "Besides, I'm not dating Ino _or _Tenten because I only want Anko-chan." he stated with more conviction in his voice than he actually felt.

Both Naruto and Tenten sighed when they noticed that Gai was already ignoring them again opting instead to give Lee some of his youthful dating advice. The two eyed each other wearingly as if at any moment the other was going to start spouting love-filled confessions.

Tenten was the first to brave the awkward silence. "So, do you really think Ino will improve as much as you say she will? Getting up to respectable standards, sure, but top in her class in chakra reserves?" she asked with obvious reserves about that particular boast.

"It's no big deal." Naruto answered, thankful for the change of topic. "Increasing your reserves as a Genin isn't very difficult since your chakra pathways are still maturing. Otooji taught me some exercises for it."

Tenten shook her head in amusement before taking another sip of tea. "You know, sometimes I forget you're really a genius since your personality is so wishy-washy. One minute you're acting like an adult, the next you're having fun with kids your own age." the bunned girl pointed out.

Naruto gave her a small, sad smile before leaning back in the booth with his hands behind his head so his face would remain unseen by the rest of the table. "I try to enjoy what fun I can while it's around; I had to grow-up quickly, so I didn't get to spend a lot of time with kids my own age other than you guys. When I was five I moved out of Ojiisan's house and had to take care of myself, not much time for friends, you know."

"That's..." Tenten started to express her condolences but she was interrupted by Naruto waving his hand.

"Don't get me wrong, I wanted to move out." he added. Imagining her confused face, Naruto continued. "If I didn't the old man would have smothered me. He's a great leader and father, grandfather, but he's definitely overprotective. I think it's a quirk you get from being Hokage; you get the whole 'protect your charges from the world' mentality. Make sure you watch out for that when you get his job, Tenten-chan." he smirked.

The young girl colored at the veiled encouragement. "Ah, I'll be sure to." she managed to get out. A new, more comfortable, silence then settled over the pair while Gai and Lee continued to discuss their plans on the other side of the booth.

Suddenly, Tenten remembered something from that morning that she had been thinking about for a few hours. "Naruto," she began, "Anko-san told me to ask you something when I had the chance."

At the mention of Anko, Naruto tilted his head down to glance at his teammate. "Really? What was it?"

"She told me to ask if you 'like to mix food and fun.' What did she mean by that?" the slightly older girl inquired.

At first, Naruto drew a blank, then he remembered the very vivid dream Anko had interrupted. Soon, the blonde was coughing uncontrollably while blushing a bright crimson. "Sh-she said that, huh? It's just an inside joke between to the two of us, you wouldn't get it unless you knew the story behind it." he waved the question off.

Tenten raised a delicate eyebrow; no way she was going to leave it at that after seeing the blonde get so flustered. "Really? Are you _sure _that's all it is?" she asked.

Naruto, acutely aware of the beating he would receive if his wonderful, yet ecchi, dream ever came to light, quickly looked for an escape route. "Um, er...oh!" he pointed to a random direction outside of the cafe'. "It's Otooji and he's waving me over, sorry guys but I've got to go! See you tomorrow at eight tomorrow to open the flower shop!"

While Tenten was looking out the window trying to see a non-existent Kakashi, Naruto flipped over the back of the booth with a handstand. Gai's resounding vow to beat his eternal rival was the last thing he heard before he dashed out into the street. One quick springboard off of a light pole and the young Uchiha was running along the rooftops of Konoha.

Not really in a rush to get home, the boy wandered around trying to get his thoughts in order; he found that most of them revolved around his dream the previous night. It hadn't crossed his mind for most of the day until Tenten relayed Anko's teasing. Of course, now that he was thinking about it he started to mull it over, the meaning the dream in particular.

"Ok, I'm not stupid, I know what the dream was about..." he thought aloud as his feet continued to lead him. "What I want to know is why it had those particular girls in it. Anko-chan I understand, but I've seen plenty of woman prettier than Ino or Tenten..."

_'But you weren't seriously interested in any of those girls.' _his treacherous mind told him. The boy groaned, this was getting way to complicated and spending a week with Ino was only making it worse.

"You know, talking to oneself could be counted as unhealthy, Naruto-kun."

The boy in question wheeled around to see who spoke to him. To his surprise, the visage of the Third Hokage was smiling back at him from a nearby window. Naruto then realized where he was; the clan district of Konoha and, more directly, the house next to the mansion that was in possession of the Sarutobi family.

Naruto smiled back at the man, apparently his feet remembered how to get back to his old home. "Ojisan, I didn't wake you up did I?" he asked, not realizing until then that he had been speaking aloud.

The old man chuckled softly before shaking his head. "No, I was reading in the study." he answered. Seeing the introspective look on his adopted grandson's face, the elderly man decided to offer his assistance. "Why don't you come inside and tell me about your first mission? I hope it wasn't too much for you."

"Ah, it was nothing difficult." Naruto assured his grandfather as he leapt through the open window. Inside the spacious lounge/study were, along with the several bookshelves, a few couches that the pair used to relax.

The Third offered Naruto some tea which the boy accepted since he didn't get to drink much at the cafe'. Once they were settled, Naruto started to recount his first mission, making sure to gloss over a few occurrences, while the old man listened.

Once the tale was finished, the elder Sarutobi leaned back into the couch he was sitting on. "Well, Yamanaka-san sounds like quite a handful." he stated with an amused smile. "I do agree with your assessment, though. Since she showed such progress on her first day of training she is quite skilled and worthy of attention. I'll be sure to mention that to Iruka when I see him next."

Naruto nodded absentmindedly. Talking about Ino brought the blonde boy back to the line of thought he had been so engrossed in previously.

"So, what is the real reason you were so distracted?" the Hokage asked once he saw creases appear in Naruto's forehead. "It must be something very troubling if it has you this occupied."

"Well..." Naruto drawled, debating whether to confide his thoughts or not. _'What the hell, he might be able to help and it's not like he'll tell anyone.' _the blonde decided.

"I've been having..._dreams_...about a _few _girls..." he admitted.

The way the old man sitting across from him smirked let Naruto know his grandfather had definitely reached the wrong conclusion.

"Oh, is that all?" the old man laughed. "Well, you are a young man now so it's time someone gave you the talk." the Third leaned forward with his arms resting in his lap as if he were telling a secret. "You see, when a boy reaches a certain age--"

"No, no! I already know about that, Ojisan!" Naruto insisted while waving his arms. Seeing the confused look on the older man's face, he sighed.

"I just don't know why I'm dreaming about these particular girls." Naruto said, obviously in turmoil. "I mean, all my life I thought I loved Anko-chan but now I'm starting to think about other girls like I do her...I feel like I'm betraying her or something."

The Third blinked; that was something he wasn't expecting. He knew his grandson was loyal but to try and stay dedicated to one woman for however many years Naruto had decided he loved the snake kunoichi was amazing.

Taking the Sandaime's silence as the old man not having an answer, Naruto started to rise to his feet. "Sorry, I shouldn't bother you with stuff like this, I'll just figure it out myself." he muttered. The Third's hand on his shoulder stopped him, however, before he could leave.

"Sorry, I was just a bit surprised with your question, that's all. Come sit back down and we'll see if I can't help you with this." the Hokage urged.

Once back in their respective positions, the Third lit his pipe and took a deep breath. "It was surprising that you would be so loyal to Anko." he observed.

Naruto's face clouded as he frowned. "All the good it's done me, she still doesn't even like me that way. She's even dating someone..." he said, his voice wavering a bit.

"Oh? Who's that?"

"Some guy named Ibiki. I saw them at a teashop together the other day." the boy said.

The Third raised a gray eyebrow. "Morino Ibiki?" he chuckled, much to Naruto's annoyance. Before the boy could start to fume at his lack of tact, the Sandaime forced himself to not be amused and correct himself. "Those two have been meeting up once a week ever since Anko got promoted since they both share a passion for tea ceremony. The shop they visit is quite the hub for tea-buffs."

"Anko-chan likes tea ceremonies?" Naruto asked, legitimately surprised.

The old man 'hmm'd' and nodded. "Yes, it's her favorite things to do. You didn't know?"

Naruto grimaced as he took the information in. "No, she never mentioned it to me." he then proceeded to smile sadly to himself. "Of course, why should she? I'm obviously not worth talking to in her opinion."

"No, I think that just shows how much she cares." the Hokage mused. At the boy's bewildered expression, he chuckled softly; the blonde may be a genius but he could be quite naive at times. "She's usually quite vocal about it, chatting with whomever shows an interest in tea. For you not to know would take a conscious effort on her part."

"But why would she do that? I want to know these kinds of things about her-" he was cutoff by the held up hand of the Hokage.

The old man took another puff from his pipe. "If you would have let me finished I would have told you that she only tells people because she doesn't care if they don't like it or not because regardless of what they think she will continue to enjoy it. If she doesn't tell you, it's because she does care about what you're opinion would be."

The Sarutobi elder smiled again once his blonde grandson instantly perked up. He was happy that with only a few words he could clear up what would have been a sticking point in Naruto's and Anko's relationship; no matter how platonic it may be.

Naruto's grin turned into a frown of confusion, however, as the boy thought of something else. "Why would she think I would care about what she did for a hobby? It's not like I would think any less of her for liking tea ceremonies." he pointed out.

"That is a bit more difficult to explain, Naruto-kun. I can't tell you everything because I don't want to intrude on Anko's life; it's her choice whether to give out certain information, you understand." the aged Hokage explained. Seeing that Naruto wouldn't object to the subtle warning, he continued.

"Loyalty for that woman is the most important thing in the world. She was betrayed once because someone didn't think she was strong enough. She...was very attached to this person and it's still affecting her long after the incident happened. Since then, she hasn't cared about anyone's opinion except, to a degree, mine. Even then she will only show some embarrassment for doing something particularly foolish and still do it."

The man laughed, getting caught up in memories. It was amazing to him how much Naruto used to be like Anko when he was smaller. Now, the boy was more detached and driven, showing more of the infamous Uchiha attitude. "Anyway, if she doesn't tell you things it's because she enjoys your own loyalty to her. It gives her comfort, I believe, something she lost a long time ago."

Naruto expression softened, he had no idea Anko's past was so harsh. This did answer many of his observations about the purple-haired Jounin. "I think I get it...still, she shouldn't worry about that since I'd never betray her!" he stated with conviction.

"Oh? If that's the case then why are you thinking about other girls, hmmm?" the old man prodded. Naruto's mortified expression made the Hokage consider how to explain his question. "Now calm down, you haven't betrayed her by finding yourself liking other people. You're young and it's going to happen. I remember when I was your age! Why, I'd go out with any girl that would say yes. Even when I met my late wife I still dated before we were married. I'm sure Anko won't mind that you see other people since she won't get romantically involved with a twelve year-old."

"...are you sure?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow. "People tell me I'm mature for my age."

The Third couldn't help it; he laughed at the bewildered boy. "You really don't know much about women." he teased. The slightly pouty look Naruto shot him only encouraged more laughter, however.

"Yeah, laugh it up, Ojisan. We can't all have the wisdom that comes with advanced age." Naruto shot back while crossing his arms in a huff.

The Hokage snorted in the middle of a laugh and promptly brought his humor back under control. "That was a low blow..." the old man grumbled. "Like I was saying, you really don't know how a woman's mind works. Even if manage to stay devoted to her until you're older, she still might not see you in the light you wish her to. She might not want to get involved with younger men or she could just not like you romantically."

Naruto's mood darkened again. "So, I don't even have a chance?" he asked.

"I didn't say that. Anko isn't one to let things like tact or public image get in her way so I don't think the age difference would be that big of a problem when you get around...say, seventeen or eighteen." he stated, causing Naruto to grin again. It was worrisome that the boy went through such mood swings. The Uchiha clan had an unstable streak that ran a mile wide and the Sandaime wondered if his grandson had been the unfortunate recipient of the genes.

_'After all, his father was normal enough so it might skip a generation. Fugaku was sane in his own way if you discount the stoic attitude. His son, however...' _the old man mused. If Naruto did have some sort of complex it was that the boy preferred not to be alone. Even though he lived by himself, he always had either Anko or Kakashi stopping by, after all.

"So..." Naruto began, bringing his grandfather out of his thoughts. "What you're saying is that I have a chance but only after I'm old enough to make her take me seriously?"

The Sandaime nodded. "That's about right. Going back to your original problem, being attracted to other people, it's only natural. You're young and you wish for the company of the fairer sex. It's not betraying someone if they aren't loyal to you in the first place." the man advised. "Of course, that door swings both ways; if you look around you may find someone that interests you more than Anko; it's a stab in the dark and you have to decide if you wish to take that chance or not."

Naruto stayed silent as his grandfather took another puff of his pipe. "What..." he looked up at the timeless Hokage. "What should I do?"

"That, my grandson, is something I can't possibly answer." the Hokage answered. "I would suggest you don't take any of this too seriously, you're only twelve after all. For now, just enjoy your life and see where it takes you because it's not good to worry so much."

The blonde seemingly thought about that for a moment before bobbing his head in agreement. "You're right, Ojisan. I have been a bit moody, haven't I?"

A soft chuckle from his grandfather was the answer Naruto received. The blonde stole a look at the wall clock before rising off the couch he was sitting on. "Ah, it's late and I have to meet my team early tomorrow."

"Oh?" the Sandaime looked to the clock which read 1:00am. "We have been talking for a long time, haven't we? Since it's so late, why not just sleep over tonight? You're room is just the way you left it, you know, and I'm sure Konohamaru would enjoy seeing you at breakfast in the morning." he suggested.

Naruto mulled it over. On one hand, he could go home to a most-likely annoyed snake summon that would continuously rant or he could stay in a soft bed, get a good nights sleep, and not have to cook breakfast for a lazy Kakashi; Naruto smiled. "Sure! It's good to get out of the house every once and awhile, right?"

The Hokage nodded and Naruto turned in for the night, blissfully unaware of the hell he was going to catch when a certain reptile caught up to him...

**_-------------------_**

"You know, when I said this might be fun I should have slapped myself." Naruto groaned as he dodged yet another 'assassination attempt' from the younger grandson of the Sandaime. How the kid thought he could hurt anyone with a blunt, wooden, kunai was beyond the young Uchiha.

Konohamaru gritted his teeth from his hiding place outside of the bathroom door. It was a boon for him that his rival had slept over as it would give him multiple chances to deal with the blonde obstacle.

"I'll beat you and be Hokage, Naruto-niisan!" the boy declared.

To Naruto's annoyance, another wooden kunai was at him which he fended off with his toothbrush. "I don't want to be Hokage! How many times have I told you that?"

This time a wooden shuriken was launched as the black-haired boy strafed the open door. Naruto caught it thorough the hole in the middle with his toothbrush, now using the hygiene implement as a makeshift weapon. Deciding that it would be best to end this now, Naruto plucked the wooden shuriken off the brush and sent a small amount of chakra into it. When Konohamaru darted past the door again, the blonde sent the weapon flying at the long scarf the Sarutobi heir liked to wear and pinned it to the nearby wall. With a startled yelp, the boy was snapped back by the scarf fell on his back.

"I win this round, Konohamaru." Naruto walked over to the downed child and pulled the shuriken out of the wall to hand back to its owner. "Next time, don't announce that you're going to attack me and make sure to remember that I really don't want to be Hokage, ok?"

Konohamaru took the shuriken back and placed it away in the folds of his scarf/cape. "You say that but how do I know you're telling the truth! You could be lying so you can sneak into the position when I let my guard down!"

Naruto resisted the urge to belt the kid over the head. "Let me spell this out for you; the day I willingly want to be Hokage is the day I fight a giant tiger man that's out for revenge. In a word, it will never happen." the blonde laughed at his own analogy; a tiger man, that was a good one. "Anyway, it's time for breakfast!"

Naruto, dressed in boxers and a bathrobe, walked down to the large dinning room where the elderly Hokage was already starting his meal. Naruto delighted in the luxury of not having to cook breakfast for once and let the maid bring him enough food to feed a small army.

"...what? I didn't eat dinner or lunch yesterday." Naruto defended after seeing the looks the two Sarutobi's were giving him from across the table.

Konohamaru narrowed his eyes; so, his rival thought to out-eat him in his own home did he? A one-sided eating contest began between the two as the young boy started to pile more and more food on his plate, much to his grandfather's amusement.

The Sandaime noticed the lack of clothing on his oldest grandchild and raised an eye. "Where are your clothes?" he asked.

"They're sweaty and stuff. I'll just pick up some stuff at home before my team meets." Naruto said as he waved off the concern.

"Oh? You think you'll have time to make a trip across town? Yamanaka-san must open her store late in the day..." the old man mused making Naruto raise an eyebrow. Seeing the expression, the Hokage pointed to a wall clock. "It's already 8:00."

Naruto shot up out of his seat like a rocket. "Eight o'clock! I was supposed to meet my team across town at eight!" the blonde suddenly shot a look at a sheepish Konohamaru. "You! I know I set the clock for six!"

The little boy had the grace to look scolded but little else. "I wanted to get the drop on you so I might have snuck into your room and knocked over the clock..." he admitted.

"Boys, I think I can solve this problem." the Hokage stated before Naruto could ring his other grandson's neck. "I'm sure I have an old outfit that you could wear, Naruto."

The blonde boy raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "If you say so, Ojisan Naruto wasn't sure that the old man would have anything that he would like but Naruto couldn't be picky right now. Eating what he could fit in his mouth at one time, the Genin followed his grandfather to his personal wardrobe...

_**-------------------**_

"He's late..._again_." Tenten stated for the fifth time as Team Two stood outside of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Lee nodded his agreement, for the fifth time, as he scanned the street for their tardy teammate. "Yosh, I hope he is alright!"

"Oh, he'll be fine until I get my fangs in him." Orochi hissed, once again reminding everyone he was present. After twenty minutes, Tenten and Lee had gone to pickup their blonde friend much like they had done the day before but were surprised to find only a starving Kakashi and irate Orochi in the flat. The snake had demanded, again surprising the Genins, that they take him along on the mission.

"You know, I liked you better when I thought you couldn't talk." the bunned girl deadpanned. The snake had been steadily grating on her nerves for most of the morning.

Orochi simply ignored the female; not like she was that interesting. Why, they should all just be thankful the great Yamata no Orochi had graced them with his voice let alone his company.

Gai was standing off to the side making sure to keep an eye on the strange summoned animal. He could sense that something was off with it; only powerful ethereal beings are capable of speech and only members of the official courts could speak when they are as small as Orochi was. He made a note to ask Naruto about it.

A flash of red soon caught Gai's attention, and he inclined his head towards the roof of the shop. He smiled once he recognized the shape of the boy's hair. "Yosh! Our youthful team is finally together!" he exclaimed with a thumbs up.

Tenten and Lee followed their teacher's gaze and caught sight of the familiar outline of Naruto crouching against the morning sun. Tenten could have sworn she saw the boy flinch at being found out. "Get down here, Naruto!" she shouted, a bit mithed at his tardiness.

With a graceful leap, Naruto was off the roof and standing before his team. They all were silent, much to his embarrassment.

"What the hell is that tacky thing you're wearing, kid?" Orochi voiced for the stunned group. Naruto was wearing a loose-fitting, black outfit that had fishnet mesh for sleeves. What really set the cloths apart was a long red scarf that was part of the collar. It must have been over three feet long as it's full length was reviled as it bellowed in the breeze.

Naruto glared at the snake hanging from the shop's signpost, not at all surprised to see him. "I stayed over at Ojiisan's and forgot to get a spare set of clothes, alright? He let me borrow one of his old outfits."

"Yosh! So that's where I've seen such an thing! Hokage-sama still wears one quite similar to that when he gives demonstrations!" Gai said, remembering where he had seen the clothes before.

Tenten stopped herself from staring when Naruto shot her an annoyed look. "Is it that bad, Tenten?" he asked, somewhat self-conscious.

"Actually...it looks really nice on you." she blurted out before she could catch herself. To her relief, Naruto didn't so much as bat an eye at the compliment but simply smiled at her. There was something different about it, the bunned girl thought, but before she could delve into that line of thought the moment was ruined by a familiar hissing.

"Now, we need to talk about how you _left me behind _yesterday, brat."

Naruto slowly turned to address the irritable visage of Orochi. The snake was obviously not in a good mood as he was projecting a bit of killing intent to get his point across. "Uh, well...I didn't think you'd want to go on missions with me, that's all! They are kinda boring and stuff." Naruto tried to defend.

The snort Orochi answered with was enough to let Naruto know he had to come up with a better excuse than that. "Fine, fine...I made a mistake, ok? I'll take you along from now on." Naruto caved. The snake still narrowed his eyes, but said no more. The blonde was still weary as he set the bluish summon around his neck and the light strangling he got let him know this incident would not be forgotten anytime soon.

Using the key given to him the past day, Gai unlocked the shop to start their mission. The group was a bit surprised that it was locked at 9:00am since Ino had grilled them earlier about the store's hours.

"Ino!" Naruto shouted. "You better be ready for some serious training since you're sleeping in!"

"Like you're any better..." Tenten hissed. The blonde boy only smirked in response.

Lee rang the desk's bell a few times before giving up; it seemed Ino wasn't around. "I wonder where Yamanaka-san is?" he asked, peering into the back room. Everything was in its place from the day before and didn't look to have been moved; much to his confusion. He was sure Ino would have double-checked their work.

"Ok..." Tenten started. "Naruto, you go look around in the back, Lee will go check the yard, and I'll go see if she's asleep." the girl ordered, falling into her role as team leader. The two Genin did as they were told with no griping as she headed up the stairs.

Naruto searched the stockroom, the lower living room, the kitchen and, making sure to knock nice and loud, the bathrooms. Turning up nothing, he headed back to the storefront where he found Tenten waiting on him.

The bunned girl had went though the upper bedrooms and small living room upstairs. Apparently the home was much larger than she first thought since she was finished with her search about the same time as Naruto.

"So, didn't find her?" Naruto asked.

Tenten shook her head. "Her bed isn't even messed-up."

"I found her!" Lee's shout made the pair briskly walk to the back door. Naruto raised an eyebrow at what he saw. On the ground in front of the wall was a sleeping Yamanaka Ino. She was battered, dirty, and out like a log. Tenten walked over to her and checked for injuries while Naruto examined the wall itself. To his surprise and confusion, it was the same as he left it the day before.

"I don't believe her. She must have passed out right after we left." he scoffed. "How does she expect to get to the top if she doesn't show dedication?"

Tenten narrowed her eyes a bit at her teammate's back. "You worked her hard yesterday so of course she was tired. It was a lot of work for one day, you know."

Naruto 'hmmm'd' and calmly walked over to the garden hose. "She is good but if she wants to be the top of her class over one of **_my _**relatives then she's going to have to get up." Naruto stated with a playful glint in his eyes. Tenten sighed but still stepped away from the still-sleeping Ino.

With a twist of the wrist, Naruto turned the hose on full blast and drenched his unsuspecting employer.

"Ah! What the hell is going on?-!" Ino screamed as the water hit her. Naruto started laughing as he pinched the hose. Lee and Tenten were fighting back the urge to snicker at the drenched blonde off to the side. Tenten pushed her other teammate back into the shop to let Naruto bear the brunt of Ino's wrath.

"You..." Ino screeched. Naruto kept his amused smirk no matter how much the look of death in Ino's eyes scared him; he was a shinobi, he was trained against showing such things. What he wasn't ready for, however, was Ino to start laughing at **him**. "...look ridiculous in that outfit!"

The completely soaked girl doubled over as she pointed at random parts of his wardrobe. When she saw the long scarf bellow in the wind, she actually fell over. "Oh Kami, are you still playing 'super ninja' at your age?"

Naruto scowled. Feeling the pressure that had built up in the hose brought his smile back. Taking careful aim at Ino's laughing mouth, he unstopped the hose and flooded the girl to silence.

"What's that about my choice in clothing? You're going to have to speak up since I'm having trouble hearing you." he laughed. Ino put her hands up to block the water and growled.

Grabbing the nearest thing to her, which happened to be a garden trowel, she tossed it at the spigot that was feeding Naruto's watery assault. Her well-aimed attack broke the screw-on connector to the hose and the spiky-haired blonde soon found himself without ammunition, not to mention slightly drenched from the out of control hose.

Ino's smirk was enough to make Naruto rethink his little joke. His worry only increased when Ino grabbed a hoe that was leaning against the shop's wall. "So..." she began, twirling the gardening implement. "Got anymore bright ideas to try before I break this over your head?"

"Just one, Ino-_chan_!" Naruto happily taunted as he easily scaled the home, retreating to the top of the shop. "Ok, I'm good now so come and get me!" he laughed, plopping down on the warm roof tiles to dry off.

"All right, Naruto-_kun_. I'll do just that." came a voice behind him. Naruto's eyes shot open as a sandaled foot caught him in the side of his head. With his ears ringing, Naruto gapped at the blurry form of the one and only Yamanaka Ino smirking at him, her foot still outstretched from her side kick.

"You..."

Naruto didn't get the chance to finish as Ino went on the offensive. The blonde almost-kunoichi launched herself at the Genin with a satisfied snarl. Now more aware, Naruto dodged the hoe thrust and batted it away with his right bracer. Ino wasn't deterred and followed up with a spinning backhand, using the block's momentum to her advantage.

Naruto blocked this with his left bracer and ducked low to sweep his opponent's feet from under her. With agility that left Naruto impressed, Ino used the shaft of her improvised weapon to lift her entire body off the ground to avoid the sweep. The blonde girl then brought her heel down onto Naruto's shoulder with enough force to make him grunt.

The Genin quickly captured the outstretched appendage and used his superior physical strength to swing Ino by her leg. Not expecting the unorthodox move, Ino was left defenseless as she was tossed like a sack of potatoes at the second story window of her home.

Naruto panicked, he hadn't meant to throw her quite so hard. The boy was about to make a mad dash in an effort to catch Ino before she fell but was shocked to see the girl brace herself with her hands and legs, spanning the space over the open window. She looked very much like a blonde spider.

"You mastered chakra wall walking. Hah, and here I thought you were just being lazy all night." Naruto chuckled. He flipped the abandoned garden hoe up to his hands with the flick of his foot and tested the weight. "Pretty good improvisation with this, by the way. You were really ringing my bell there at first!"

Ino raised an eyebrow as she let her self down. Naruto was far too chipper for someone who just got attacked. "You're not mad that you got hit by a girl?" she asked, incredulously.

Naruto blinked. He caught the disbelief in her voice and shook his head. "Nope. You did really well so why would I be mad? It was a far fight!" he declared. "Anyway, you passed the first step in the Uzumaki/Hatake chakra crash-course! Congrats, Ino-chan." The '-chan' wasn't used as a taunt and was genuine enough, along with the praise, to make Ino blush a bit.

"Er, thanks." Ino said. She fidgeted under the appraising eye of Naruto; there was something about it that was different from the previous day. Before he looked at her with something akin to annoyance or amusement, now it was casualness and a bit of approval; it was enough to send a shiver up the blonde's spine. "Ah, what's step two?" she asked, hoping to stop his gazing.

The boy snapped to attention. "Right!" he said quickly. "Uh...all we have to do now is up your chakra reserves. To do that, we'll be sparing for the rest of the week while using chakra to stick to buildings and stuff. It's actually kinda fun once you get used to it although, you seem to be gung-ho about the sparring part already." he rubbed his head as he said the last part.

Ino blushed more as she eyed the dark bruise developing on the side of Naruto's head. "About that, I'm...sorry. I just got a bit carried away with getting you back for the taunts yesterday." she admitted.

The blonde Genin waved it off. "No problem, I probably deserved it. Don't be sorry that you caught me off-guard, not many people can do that." he seriously added. "Anyway, before we start I'll teach you a little exercise you can do all the time to increase your chakra reserves. I want you to use it while we train."

Ino walked over to her temporary teacher and watched as he gathered chakra. At first, it didn't look like he was doing anything but gradually his hair, which had gotten wet from the hose exploding on him, regained it's usual spikiness.

"You dried it?" Ino asked.

Naruto shook his head. "Nope, just channeled a bit of chakra into it to mold it's shape. If you do that all the time, your reserves will expand...not by much though. Try it."

Ino nodded, putting her hands into a chakra focusing pose. Her hair was considerably longer than Naruto's and she wasn't as experienced in gathering chakra so it was very slow going. Eventually, though, her hair started to glow a bit brighter as a show of chakra being molded over it.

"Pretty good, but you're doing it the hard way." With a quick tug, Ino's hair tie was gone and her blonde locks swept down her back. The overall effect increased Ino's look by several fold and it forced Naruto to keep his mind on the training. "A-ah, j-just channel the chakra _through _your hair and not over it. It's an extension of your body, after all." He almost slapped himself for tripping over his words like that. "Try and get it back to it's original style using just chakra."

Focusing again, Ino tried to feed chakra into her golden mane. Amazingly, to her at least, several strands started to twitch and writhe. She could get them to group together, but not mimic the way a hair tie kept her hair up in a ponytail.

"Good enough for now." Naruto decided. The boy leapt back away from Ino and rolled his neck, his red scarf catching the wind once again. In that light, he looked very much the shinobi that he was. Falling into a basic taijutsu stance, Naruto smirked. "Well? We have five hours to practice so lets get to it!"

Ino mirrored the smile Naruto was giving her but noticed his eyes quickly dart away. Thinking that he wasn't taking her seriously, she crossed her arms and glared. "What is it?" she asked. When Naruto only blushed in response, she stomped her foot. "Look at me!" Ino demanded.

Naruto shrugged, who was he to argue. "Sure thing, Ino-chan." His eyes swept over her and he snickered to himself.

This, of course, served only to make Ino more annoyed. "What is wrong with you? Did I kick what few brain cells you had out of your head earlier?"

The Genin shook his head, a faint blush still on his face. "Nope. I was just admiring the view. Those clothes you have on really do look better when they're wet." he pointed out.

Ino, with a growing sense of dread, shifted her gaze down to the state of her shirt. The drenched piece of clothing was clinging to her skin leaving very little to the imagination. By the time she looked up, Naruto was already dashing to the next house not even bothering to hold in his laughter.

**"Get back here you hentai!" **she screamed as she dashed off after him...

**_-------------------_**

"So...Danzo is actually moving? I never took that one for such underhanded tactics."

Sai said nothing to defend his commander. After all, what could he say to the truth? "Danzo-sama wishes to act in conjunction with you. He asks for you to relay your terms through myself."

The figure whom the ROOTS member was addressing cackled. "Is that so? How do I know this isn't a very foolish attempt to try and trap me?"

"I was ordered to stay here and only send a messenger bird back if that was the case. You may consider me your loyal servant until the appointed time." Sai said as he bowed lower.

The other figure seemed to mull this over before reading over the letter in his hand yet again. "Tell Danzo I will relay my terms through my own servants when I decide on them. As for you, I have no interest in trash from Konoha." the man said, dismissing the ANBU member with the wave of his hand.

Sai bowed as he backed away from the stone throne. "I will tell Danzo-sama this, Orochimaru-dono."

The snake Sannin's eyes flickered with malovance. "I'm sure Danzo will be quite pleased with our understanding. After all, isn't everyone's dream to become Hokage? Kukukukuku..."

That insane cackle was the last thing Sai heard as he was escorted out of the presence of the most famous traitor from the Hidden Leaf...

_**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

Wow, almost 9,000 words. Anyway, many of you have been asking about the pairings and I'm sure this chapter will only add fuel to the fire. Of course, I won't tell you anything since I'm a bastard...although, if I were you, I wouldn't assume everything is set in stone for Naruto's love life...hehehe. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! See you next update. Also, next chapter will be all Ino so if you don't like her...well, sucks to be you, huh? Ja ne.

As to Ino's progress, a lot of you are going to call foul on how good she is for an Academy student. Let's think for a moment, shall we? Ino was the number one kunoichi in her class and she mastered a very complicated mind switch jutsu before she was even a Genin. That requires amazing chakra control so I don't think it's any stretch of the imagination that she could learn to tree-climb in one full day.

**:Terms:**

Ojisan-Grandfather. Thanks to the reviewers that pointed this out, I really need to spend more time on my translations. Anyway, the mistake was corrected.


	11. The First Straw

Alright, I know that almost everyone wants a new chapter of Sounding and you're going to be pretty mad that I did this one first. Well, too bad. I have a case of writers laziness so I'll update Black Sheep instead. Read, review, and enjoy!

**Note:** this is an Ino-centric chapter that is a bridge to the time-skip I'll be pulling next chapter so not much Naruto in it. He is in it, though, so it's not all bad.

Also, I've made Hinata...well, you'll see. Lets just say that spending as much extra time with Neji as she has will do certain things to one's personality...basically, it's going to be super-ooc Hinata from here on out.

Huge thanks to everyone that's read this fiction; it now has over 100,000 hits! It's a milestone that I never thought I'd reach, thanks so much! You guys rule! Special thanks in particular to _JohnnyG_ who gave me some tips on how to proof-read, I think it really helps.

Music Choice: Three Days Grace along with many more of their songs, SR-71 for the action scenes, and a tad of Switchfoot just to round it all out.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Sasuke, emo-ness, or Ino. I do, however, own this badass rubber band I tie my hair back with; it's awesome!

_**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_  
**Chapter 11: The First Straw**  
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**

"I really hate that blonde bastard..." Ino grumbled as she limped to the Academy. It always seemed to be worse going back on Mondays to the young Yamanaka. The war she and Naruto had been through the day before wasn't helping her mindset any either.

Indeed, the first day of actual combat practice had been exceptionally rough; jumping from rooftop to rooftop while trying to split your chakra into your feet and hair was one of the hardest things Ino ever had to do. Naruto continuously using his Kusari-Fundo to tag her whenever she paused to concentrate didn't help her concentration much.

Ino sighed as she rubbed one of the bruises on her arm. "At least he took me seriously at the end." she laughed, remembering catching Naruto off-guard with the Shintenshin no Jutsu. "Heh, I bet those girls in the bath house worked him over once I released the jutsu..."

Getting into the classroom with a bit of time to spare, Ino took her usual seat near Shikamaru, ignoring Sakura and Sasuke for once; her body was in no mood for latching onto her cruch nor getting into a hissy fight with Sakura.

The Nara genius raised a lazy eye at his friend's state. She was ragged and from what he could see of her legs and arms there were numerous bruises covering her. Shikamaru knew that she was alone for the week so he decided to forgo his usual nonchalant attitude and ask about it.

"Hey, Ino. You look like you've been up to something." he stated. Shikamaru talking drew Choji's attention and he turned in his seat to look at the blonde.

Ino groaned, she didn't want anyone to know about her training yet. "I fell." she said simply, knowing full-well that Shikamaru wasn't going to buy it.

The pineapple-haired boy snorted. "Yeah, sure. So what really happened?"

"None of your business, that's what." Ino said as she crossed her arms. The tone she used made it clear she was done with the topic.

Shikamaru shrugged and leaned back in his chair with a 'troublesome' while waiting for Iruka to start class. Unfortunately, Choji wasn't as smart as Shikamaru.

"You know, some of those bruises on your arms look like fist marks." he said while he pointed at one of the more visible blue spots on Ino's arm.

This caught Sakura's attention, she was trying to start a conversation with Sasuke a few rows down, and she walked over to her rival once it was clear the Uchiha wasn't in a talkative mood. "Ino-buta." she greeted.

"Forehead girl." Ino hissed. Just what she needed, Sakura poking her nose into her business.

"So, you get into a fight with a wild pig or something?" the pink-haired girl asked as he poked one of Ino's arms.

The blonde swattet Sakura's hand away and rubbed her sore flesh. She would have to say something to get them off her back. "I was training." The shorter the answers the better, she figured.

Sakura didn't buy it and was about to say more but Iruka interrupted by directing everyone to get to their seats. The Haruno girl scowled as Ino stuck out her tongue; she would investigate later.

The day progressed from turning in weekend homework, which Naruto had helped with, to the main lecture. When the lecture portion of the day started, Iruka unrolled a large diagram of a person's inner coils system.

"Alright, can anyone explain to me just how we can perform jutsu?" he asked. Sakura looked around and smirked; time to show off for Sasuke-kun. However, just as she was about to give the answer someone from the back spoke up.

"A jutsu is performed by mixing spiritual energy with stamina and molding the resulting energy, chakra, with hand seals, Iruka-sensei." Ino recited. Naruto had drilled that into her during the middle of their training. She supposed that it was lucky that the boy liked to talk during fights no matter how much it distracted her.

Iruka looked impressed that someone other than Sakura had answered. "Very good, Ino-san. It seems that someone chose to study during the weekend." he praised.

Ino shot Sakura a smug look knowing how much her rival liked to show-off to Sasuke. _'Heh, you won't have the smarts market cornered today, forehead girl.' _

"Now..." Iruka started, moving on in the lecture. "What other types of things can chakra be used for other than jutsu?"

Sakura gritted her teeth, Ino-buta somehow got lucky on the last question. The pink-haired girl wracked her brain to think of something to say but to her, and everyone else's astonishment, Ino stayed standing and answered.

"Chakra can be used to bind and manipulate other things. For example, by sending chakra to your feet you can stick to surfaces and walk up walls, trees, or anything else you could think of." the ponytailed girl stated, raising her finger up to mock Sakura's favorite lecturing pose.

Iruka blinked. That was something only very astute Genin's would know. The fact that Ino had beaten Sakura to an answer twice in one day was even more of a surprise. Too bad Ino wasn't done yet.

"Chakra can also be used regarding weapons." the youngest Yamanaka continued. "By wrapping your chakra around something you can manipulate it; be it a sword, kunai, or even a length of chain."

Ino almost flinched as she remembered just how effective a chain could be when used in a jutsu. Naruto had tied her up with his Kusari-Fundo and hung her upside-down over the edge of her own shop's roof for a good five minutes.

By this time Sakura was fuming. _'Darn you, Ino! I didn't even know that...now Sasuke-kun is going to think I'm an idiot.' _she mentally lamented. Sneaking a glance over to the Uchiha, she was mortified that he was, indeed, looking slightly impressed at Ino's answer.

"That's...very good, Ino." Iruka stated. "You actually covered more than what I would have in the lesson since that was Genin-level knowledge."

Ino blushed when most of the kids in the class stared at her. She quickly retook her seat but still managed to return the glare Sakura was giving her. Seeing Sasuke look at her without frowning was just an added bonus.

The day dragged on for the most part with more lecture and conceptual arithmetic. The last thing to be done before class let out were the standard exercises. Iruka led his students out to the wide exercise area for morning drills. His assistant teacher, Mizuki, followed with clipboard in hand.

"Ok, class. We'll start with some warm-ups then move to target practice. Give me twenty pushups then start running laps. Once you do fifteen of them you can rest." he ordered. Most of the kids groaned before reluctantly dropping to the ground.

Sakura took her usual place on one side of Ino with Shikamaru at the other. Not only did this let the rivals keep up their banter throughout the exercised, it gave an excellent vantage point to watch Sasuke.

Ino was surprised that the pushups were easier for her even with her body in it's current state. Shikamaru noticed that Ino had finished at least twice the number either he or Sakura had done. What even more strange was that she was hardly winded.

"Ino, what's up?" he asked once his blonde friend hit fifteen pushups to his eight.

The blonde was even more shocked than her two friends, or rival in Sakura's case. "The training must really be paying off!"

"How are you doing that, Ino?" Sakura was pretty much floored by this point. How had her rival improved so much in just one weekend? "You're normally complaining by now!"

Ino only smirked as she finished up her twentieth pushup. When Iruka nodded his approval, she started on her laps much to everyone's shock.

Mizuki noticed that the blonde was kicking up a large amount of dust and moved over by Iruka to voice his opinion. "That girl is using chakra to augment her muscles." he pointed out.

"I know, it's really strange for her. Using chakra to enhance one's physical abilities is an advanced skill that she's never shown before." Iruka thought outloud. He took the time to nod to Kiba, Sasuke, and Neji who had just finished up their pushups. "See? Those three are the ones that usually do things like that but they don't use it much. Ino's almost flaunting it so she must have just learned it." he deduced. Mizuki nodded his agreement and went back to monitoring the rest of the class.

Ino was having the time of her young life. Flying around the course at the speed she normally ran was not bothering her in the least. In fact, her muscles actually stopped hurting now that she was being more active. The blonde was on her second lap when Sasuke, Kiba, and Neji joined her.

"Sasuke-kun!" she squealed as she fell in step with the Uchiha. "You rushed through those pushups just to run with me, right?"

"Where did you learn to use your chakra so effectively?" he asked, ignoring her question.

The girl blinked. _'Is he...impressed?' _she asked herself, not really believing it. A quick look back at the other two boys showed that they both regarded her with a bit of surprise but more suspiciousness with Kiba.

Ino quickly snapped back to the present once she saw the Uchiha frown in response to her lack of answering. "I-I've been getting training!" she blurted out.

He considered this for a moment before stating, "That's pretty good for a kunoichi."

"Psh, I think it's a fluke!" Kiba voiced as more people joined in the laps. The leading group of boys was on their forth while Ino was doing her fifth. "No way someone like _you _would train."

Ino's eyes took a hard edge as she looked over her shoulder at the loudmouth. "Think what you want, _mutt_. I'll be watching you finish your laps from the sidelines." the almost-kunoichi snapped as she increased her speed. As one last insult, she used her chakra to swat the boy with her long, blonde ponytail.

Sasuke smirked at the snarling Inuzuka as he started spewing curses. Neji stared at the back of Ino as he activated his Byakugan; what he saw made him narrow his eyes. "She's using chakra to control her hair."

"What was that, Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked, sounding very bored.

Neji fought down the urge to close of few of the haughty Uchiha's tenketsu. The small amount of killing intent coming off of him was enough to make the rest of the class, who had joined the main group, back off a bit. Kiba, however, seemed to not care.

"What do you mean she's controlling her hair?"

"Just what I said; she's channeling chakra through her hair. That was how she hit you a second ago, idiot." he deadpanned.

Kiba shook his fist at the white-eyed genius; oh, he would pay for that one later. "You can't channel chakra though your hair, dumbass."

"You can..." Hinata cut in as she caught up with the boys. She shot a glare at her cousin, which Neji returned, before continuing. "But it's not something a regular_ Genin _can do, let alone an Academy student. Are you certain you appraised her chakra flow correctly, Neji-_kun_." she asked with obvious sarcasm in her voice.

"I am sure, Hinata-_sama_." he spit out with enough venom to make even Kiba shoot him a weary eye. "If you doubt it, I suggest that you check it yourself."

The two Hyuuga glared at each other for a good thirty seconds before the arrival of Ino made them snap out of it.

The blonde blinked as she actually lapped the large group of people. She smirked at Sakura's red face when she gingerly jogged past her pink-haired rival while making sure to wave cutely at the scowling Haruno. Catching up with the lead boys, she made sure to snap at Kiba again with her hair as she went past him.

"You'll pay for that, wench!" he snarled as he started to chase the blonde. Akamaru barked incessantly as Ino kept ahead of the irked boy.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at their antics, he had other things to worry about other than how much one of his fan girls had improved. _'Such as how Itachi snuck into the clan house and stole my Okonomiyaki...' _he irritably thought.

Behind the brooding Uchiha, Sakura was straining to keep up with the group, Shikamaru was plodding along as fast a pace that wasn't too troublesome and Choji was fighting for breath. Aburame Shino was stoic behind his sunglasses as he watched Ino keep a steady pace above Kiba. It was odd, in his opinion, that the girl could improve so much in such a short amount of time. He had a suspicion on why this was, but he kept it to himself. Who would he tell, after all?

"Give it up, dog breath!" Ino taunted as he nimbly weaved her way through the crowd of classmates. Kiba was roughly shoving people aside as he chased the annoying wench; no way was a girl going to beat him!

"Stop running and fight me if you think you're so great!" he yelled in frustration. His fingers barely brushed against a strand of blonde hair as he lunged through the throng of students.

Ino whipped her hair around like a lure, taunting him, as she deftly avoided Kiba's attempts at capture. "Seriously, Kiba. You're too slow to get me after my sparring with Naruto." she laughed, not realizing she'd said her tutor's name.

Sakura, however, did notice. "So that's it!" she pointed a finger at Ino accusingly. "You're cheating by getting help from someone, Ino-buta!"

Ino cursed under her breath, she didn't mean to say anything about her tutor. Oh well, if the cat was already out of the bag what would a bit of bragging hurt?

"It's not cheating, forehead girl. I just got a bit of help with my chakra control and taijutsu." she corrected. Just to rub it in a bit, Ino smirked. "He's a Genin, too."

"Who?" Shino asked. His theory had proven correct, the girl had help. Anyone that could make Ino show such improvement must be very powerful and if it was a Genin they must be a genius.

The blonde smiled brightly, it was fun to be the center of attention. "Uzumaki Naruto, he graduated early so he's our age." she answered as most of the group finished their laps. Only belatedly did Ino realize that she had run more laps than she should have.

"Naruto?" Iruka questioned as he walked up to his students. "Uzumaki Naruto from Team Two, right?"

Ino nodded while the stragglers finished their laps. Most everyone was collapsed in a heap from the running and even Ino was feeling the exhaustion that came from using such a large amount of chakra now that she had given her body pause.

Sakura plopped down next to Ino while Shikamaru leaned against the side of the building. "Do you know him, Iruka-sensei? How good is he?"

"Oh, he's the nephew of Hatake Kakashi, the copy-nin of Konoha, so he's very talented." This got the attention of Hinata and Neji especially; Hiashi, the Hyuuga clan leader, regularly spoke of the famous Jounin.

Kiba glared at the blonde girl, he would get revenge later. "Doesn't matter who his family is, if he wasted time training Yamanaka then he can't that good." he scoffed.

Ino whipped her head around to glare at the Inuzuka. "You don't know anything, mutt! Naruto is the best for his age so he could wipe the floor with you."

Kiba growled and looked to leap at the girl right then and there until a new voice spoke up behind the group.

"I see my grandson is still a topic of conversation here."

"H-Hokage-sama!" Iruka sputtered. All the students turned to see the smirking face of the Third Hokage smiling pleasantly at them. Hinata and Neji made the show of giving a bow to the aged leader which he returned.

"_Grandson?_" Ino croaked. "You mean Naruto?"

The Sandaime raised an eyebrow at the blonde before answering her with a question of his own. "Yamanaka Ino, correct? Naruto spoke very highly of you yesterday."

Ino's eyes were as wide as saucers by now, as were Shikamaru's and Sakura's; even Sasuke was speechless. Sakura managed to get her wits together long enough to whirl around on Ino.

"You're getting tutored by the grandson of a Hokage?-!"

"I never knew that! He never told me!" she insisted. "No wonder he's so good..."

The Third simply grinned at the young girl; he could see what Naruto saw in her. Walking through the group of admiring students, he approached their teacher.

"If it's not too much to ask, Iruka, could I watch the students go through their sparring drills?" he asked.

"O-of course, Hokage-sama. We were going to go with target practice first but I can rearrange the schedule since you're so busy." Iruka afforded. The elderly man simply smiled and nodded his thanks before stepping off to the side.

Iruka asked Mizuki for his clipboard to match up the partners. Sensing that the Hokage wanted to see someone in particular, he started with the Kunoichi first.

"Alright, would...Hyuuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino head to the front?" he asked. The two girls looked at each other and Ino shrugged, she had fought Hinata before so it wasn't a big deal. At least the Hyuuga heir couldn't use that Jyuuken style during a spar, if it wasn't for that, Hinata would take the spot of top kunoichi.

Before the fight could begin, the Hokage cleared his throat. "Iruka, could I make a request?" When Iruka nodded, he continued. "I would like to see Yamanaka-san spar against Uchiha Sasuke."

Iruka blanched, he usually didn't mix the genders in spars since he didn't want any of the girls to get harmed. Of course, he couldn't say no to the Hokage so he directed Hinata to take a seat and for Sasuke to come to the front.

"Alright you two, no jutsu or weapons. When I say so the fight will be over; don't aim for vital areas." he cautioned.

"Actually, Iruka..." the Hokage started. The Academy teacher had to fight the urge to groan. "...could you make this a standard match? I would very much like to see the full talent of these two."

Ino's mind was about to switch off. Not only did she just find out that Naruto spoke to the Hokage himself about their training, now it seemed the supreme leader of Konoha wanted to see her fight. What was more, she had to fight Uchiha Sasuke!

Iruka must have noticed Ino's apprehension because he spoke up in her defense. "Hokage-sama, I really don't think this is a good match. It's highly irregular."

"You think so, Iruka?" the old man asked with mock surprise. For his grandson to take an interest in someone they must have talent and he wanted to see it. "I would **_very _**much like to see this match." The edge in the man's voice was just enough that Iruka knew the Hokage was ordering him to continue. This time he didn't stop the groan.

"Of course, Hokage-sama." he surrendered. Turning to a still nervous Ino and very annoyed Sasuke, Iruka sighed. "Alright, you two may use jutsu's and weapons, the fight will end when Hokage-sama calls the match." Iruka added to let his leader know he didn't agree. The Sandaime only nodded in response.

With a downwards cut, Iruka called the match. "Begin!"

Ino tensed immediately, this was it. She had wanted to be the top of her class irregardless of gender so now she had her chance. Still, she almost lost her nerve when she saw Sasuke's eyes boring into her.

_'What is he thinking about?' _she wondered. _'He knows I'm still weaker than he is...' _

Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly. "I refuse." Most of the class started to whisper to themselves while Iruka and the Sandaime exchanged looks. Before either of them could even voice a question, Sasuke continued. "She's too weak to fight with me, I need a stronger opponent."

As the Uchiha started to walk away, conflicting emotions welled up in Ino. A small one was happiness at not having to fight the Uchiha genius, most of the others were pure outrage that he thought so highly of himself. Spending the last few days with Naruto's stuck-up attitude had given the blonde a distinct dislike of pompous jackasses; even if it was her precious Sasuke-kun.

"Don't ignore me!"

The raven-haired boy stopped mid-step as a kunai embedded itself in the ground next to his foot. He slowly turned his head around to level a glare against the now enraged Yamanaka.

"You think you're so much better than me? Prove it." she challenged while whipping out another kunai.

Sasuke turned fully to regard the girl. Her stance as a variation of the standard kunai-fighting pose that left little holes in her guard; this Naruto person had taught her the basic flaws in the Academy's forms, it seemed. Still, the boy shook his head.

"No matter how much last-minute training you received, you are still no match for me. I've been training as hard as you have this weekend _for my entire life_. What makes you think you can even touch me?" he asked. His tone was more amused than angry and that irked Ino.

With an audible growl, the blonde launched herself at the raven-haired boy. Sasuke was caught sleeping by the sudden assault and was forced on the defensive early. Ino swiped at his midsection with her kunai but Sasuke easily caught her arm. When her left hand came in for a backhand, he captured her other arm as well.

Ino struggled against his grip while Sasuke mearly held her in place. "See?" he taunted. "You are not on my lev-"

Sasuke was cut-off by Ino's forehead impacting against his. The sickening crack of two skulls resounded throughout the training area. Sasuke, dazed from the hit, released Ino's arms and stumbled back only to be knocked off his feet by Ino's leg sweep.

While the Uchiha struggled to his feet, Ino put some space between herself and her opponent. She was also harmed by the desperation move and thought it prudent not to give the boy a chance to capitalize if he recovered quickly.

"How was that, Sasuke-_kun_?" Ino playfully taunted. To her concern, Sasuke's face was twisted into a scowl as he rose to his feet. He said no words to her and instead let the shuriken he had pulled out on his way up do the talking.

The blonde girl quickly sidestepped the implements and started to move in a circle around Sasuke. "Finally playing serious, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, a tiny bit afraid of what that meant.

Again, Sasuke said nothing and only ran in for an attack. His fists were almost blurs as he and Ino danced around the training area. To the spectators, it looked to be an even match but to the trained eye of Iruka, Mizuki, and the Hokage it was obvious who was wining.

"Sasuke is quite the student, Iruka." the Sandaime admitted. "He's faster than Ino and more physically powerful."

"That's why I don't match the girls against the boys, Hokage-sama." Iruka said sadly as he watched Sasuke get in a particularly vicious right hook. Ino was thrown against the side of the Academy building as Sasuke effectively cut-off her line of retreat. "You have to end this, Hokage-sama!" Iruka whispered in alarm. The old man, however, continued watching with a small smirk.

Ino rubbed her jaw where she had been hit and scowled. Sasuke was definitely playing for keeps and it showed; his skill was immaculate. Of course, there were still skills of her own that no one was privy too...yet.

"Game's up, Ino." Sasuke stalked closer the Yamanaka, looking to end the fight with one last attack. All too late did he notice the small smile Ino's face betrayed.

With a backwards flip, Ino dodged the palm thrust by leaping onto the Academy wall. So surprised was Sasuke that he couldn't block her roundhouse kick fast enough and Ino's sandaled foot impacted squarely with his face.

Iruka's jaw was threatening to fall off at this point while most of Ino's classmates were wondering what they have just witnessed. Even the stoic Neji was impressed.

"You didn't tell me she could use her chakra to that degree, Hokage-sama." Iruka mumbled once he calmed down a bit.

"Honestly, I didn't know she could do that." he admitted. He took another drag from his pipe as he watched Sasuke get to his feet for the second time in the match.

Ino could almost jump around like an excited schoolgirl by now. Not only had she surprised everyone with that skill, she had capitalized on her opponent's lax in defense and scored a hit; she would have to tell Naruto all about it later.

Sasuke, however, was livid. _'How the hell did she do that, I can't even do that!' _he screamed in his head. _'No...no! I won't let her embarrass me like this, I'll show everyone I'm strong enough to kill my brother!'_

With that mental declaration, Sasuke started a series of hand seals. The genius gathered just enough chakra to prove his point before finishing the last seal. "**_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_**

Ino was staring at the ball of fire like she was already burnt to a crisp. Even though it wasn't full-powered, the blast would still harm enough that injuries would result. Just as Iruka was about to intervene, he was caught on the arm by the Hokage.

"**_Katon: Housenka_**!"

A second, more compact, ball of fire intercepted Sasuke's attack and caused both flaming orbs of destruction to veer off course and impact off to the side. Due to the destruction, most everyone shielded their eyes from the dust and rocks that were kicked up from the explosion.

Sasuke, however, looked towards where the second attack came from. "Who are you?"

A boy that looked no older than the rest of the class casually walked down the same wall Ino was still stuck to. The blonde boy strolled over to Ino and lightly tapped her on the shoulder, completely ignoring Sasuke and the amazed looks he was getting.

"Ino-chan, you're supposed to dodge things like that." he laughed.

Ino blinked as he eyes gained focus. "N-Naruto?"

The blonde Genin smirked down at her and gingerly hopped down off the wall. By now most of the students had dusted themselves off and were regarding the blonde with suspicion by most, admiration from a few. After all, he had knocked Sasuke's attack away like it was nothing.

Naruto turned to the Hokage and waved. "Ojiisan, Iruka-sensei!" he called out happily.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd step in, Naruto." The Sandaime let Iruka's arm go and the teacher immediately ran over to Ino.

"Are you alright, Ino?" he asked, looking the girl over for injuries.

Naruto made an annoyed face at his old teacher. "Iruka-sensei, she's much tougher than that." he sent a confident smirk over to his unknowing cousin. "She's _my _student, after all."

Hinata and Neji both started to analyze this boy. Of course they knew of the Sandaime's adopted grandson but neither had ever met the boy. From what they could see, he was impressive. Naruto had good chakra control for a normal Genin and had impressive jutsu.

Hinata, however, knew better than to go by surface perceptions and activated her Byakugan. "That's odd..." she murmured low enough so that only Neji could hear her. "He has a well of chakra right behind his eyes and a very strange inner coil system in his abdomen."

"Really?" Neji asked as he activated his own bloodlimit. "You're right, his eyes are strange." He turned towards his cousin who was now sporting a bored expression. "He has a dojutsu."

"That's impossible." Hinata scoffed. "There are only two dojutsu in Konoha; the Uchiha Sharingan and our Byakugan. He's too..._loud_...to be a Hyuuga and he's too _alive _to be an Uchiha." she joked.

Neji didn't share her sentiments but kept his opinion to himself. Whatever Naruto was, it was definitely something more than he was letting on.

Iruka frowned as Ino stood under her own power. Other than the mark from the right hook Sasuke had given her at the beginning of the fight, she was littered with older bruises.

"Naruto, did you give Ino all those marks?" he asked, feeling protective of his student.

"Whaaaa? Oh, those are just from training." Naruto waved off. He was too busy wining a glaring match with Sasuke to care very much about what his old teacher was talking about.

Ino, however, did manage to get his attention with a swift punch to Naruto's shoulder. "Idiot! What gave you the right to interfere with my match! Why are you even here?"

The blonde rubbed his aching joint, Ino's scowling face took president over pissing-off his family for the moment, he decided.

"You were about to get char-broiled to perfection! Really, if you're just going to freeze like that whenever someone uses a flashy jutsu against you then you'll never make it past your first mission." Naruto lectured even though he was technically still on his first mission. "Anyway, I came here to walk you back to the shop since it's past three o' clock."

Iruka blinked before pulling out a small watch from his vest. Sure enough, it was ten past three. "That's odd, why didn't the bell go off?" he asked. When he turned around, the Hokage was gone so he put two and two together. "Ugh, he acts more like my students than our supreme leader..."

Naruto laughed at that. "Yeah, that's Ojiisan for you." the boy admitted.

"Alright, class is dismissed for the day, we'll continue with the **standard **sparring sessions tomorrow." Iruka stated, emphasizing the word 'standard.'

Sasuke snorted, this boy was nothing special, blocking his grand fireball was a fluke. "Hn, whatever." He did pause before he started to walk away, however. "Yamanaka, lets have another match some time." With that, he was walking away.

Naruto glared at Sasuke's retreating form while Ino stared after him with tiny stars in her eyes. "He complimented me! Beat that, forehead girl!"

Sakura, who had joined the group along with Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba, almost popped a artery. "Just you wait, Ino-buta! I'll get Sasuke-kun yet!" she swore.

"You two are troublesome." Shikamaru decided. However, now he knew who had been pushing Ino so much. "You're Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto looked surprised that someone knew his full name and blinked. "Uh, yeah. Do I know you?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "No but Ino spoke highly of you earlier. I wasn't expecting someone our own age to have helped her."

"Oh? Ino-chan talked about me, huh?" Naruto poked the embarrassed girl in her ribs. "What did she say?"

"I said nothing! _Isn't that right, Shikamaru?" _Ino not-so-subtly threatened. Shikamaru weight the advantages of seeing his friend embarrassed vs. getting the crap beat out of him.

Kiba, however, beat Shikamaru to the punch. "This is the loser you said could 'wipe the floor with me,' Ino? He doesn't look like much." Akamaru barked his agreement from atop Kiba's head.

Naruto instantly recognized the boy as a member of the other side of his family, ignoring Ino's now-flushed face. "An Inuzuka, right?"

Kiba narrowed his eyes. If this guy wanted to pick a fight he was all game. "What about it?"

"Nothing, nothing." Naruto waved the ill-mood of Kiba off. "Would you happen to know an Inuzuka Rin?"

The dog-user's eyes shot up in surprise. "I think so...she was my aunt or something, got kicked out of the clan before I was born, though."

Naruto's eyes twitched for just a moment before his nonchalant attitude as back again. "Well, I should be getting back to the flower shop, are you coming with me, Ino-chan?"

Sakura smirked at her rival. Ino did her best not to squirm under her gaze but it was proving impossible. "Um, I'll be there in a few minutes, Naruto. You go on ahead and I'll catch up."

The blonde shrugged and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Iruka shook his head in amazement. "_Shunshin no Jutsu_, just how much was Naruto holding back when I was teaching him?" he asked himself before going back inside the Academy with Mizuki in tow.

"Sooo, Ino." Saukra studied the flustered blonde with a critical eye. There was something about Ino's attitude that sparked an interest for the pink-haired almost-kunoichi. The way Ino and that Naruto guy acted with one another was at the heart of it, though. "Why exactly is he at your house with your parents gone for the week?"

Ino narrowed her eyes in a warning gesture. "His team was hired by my parents to help run the shop."

"How did he end up training you?" Shikamaru asked. The lazy Nara was looking at the crater caused by the duel katon jutsus. "He knows some impressive techniques for a Genin."

"Well, he is the grandson of the Hokage." Ino reasoned.

Most everyone there was eyeing her with varying degrees of emotion; Sakura with a smug look, Shikamaru with his usual lazy expression, the Hyuuga's with their usual blank stare, and barely-controlled rage with Kiba. The blonde girl thought she saw Shino around somewhere but she couldn't be sure.

Choji took out a bag of chips to munch on. He did notice something strange, however, and brought it to everyone's attention. "Why did he ask about Kiba's relative?"

Kiba's brow furrowed as he actually tried to think; it was most comical when Akamaru mimicked his partner. "She was a weird person to ask about, too. My mom or sister, sure, they're pretty well-known outside of the clan but not my mom's little sister. She was taken off the clan register before I was even born; hell, the only reason I know about her is because I found a picture of her once and asked my mom about her."

"Taken off a family register?" Hinata asked in her haughty tone. "She must have done something particularly horrible."

The Inuzuka shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I asked my mom why that was but she told me to forget it."

"Kiba, how do you get those facial markings?" the Nara asked.

"My birthmarks? I've had them since forever." Kiba answered, confused by the question.

Shikamaru sighed upon hearing this; he had an idea about this but it would be much to troublesome to look into it. Instead of playing detective, he waved goodbye to everyone and headed home with Choji following.

Ino raised an eyebrow at her friend's sudden departure. "That guy is damaged." she decided. A look at the school's clock made her flinch. "Uh, I've really got to get going back to the shop, see you guys tomorrow!"

Sakura watched her rival casually run up the side of the Academy and start to leap building to building. "Psh, showoff." she mumbled.

"Whatever. Neji, let's go home." Hinata ordered. Her cousin gritted his teeth but never the less, he followed her out off the Academy grounds.

After that, most of the others dispersed and went their separate ways, none of them noticing the figure of the Hokage watching them from the Academy roof.

"So, what did you think of Naruto's student?" he asked. The sultry figure of Mitarashi Anko sauntered over to the old man, dango skewer in hand.

Anko popped another dango into her mouth before answering. "Ah, she's not too bad, I guess. Nowhere near Naruto or that Uchiha kid, though."

The Sandaime chuckled; leave it to Anko to state things bluntly. "You know, I think my grandson likes her." He closely watched her reaction out of the corner of his eye.

"Well..." Anko swallowed the last piece of her snack. "I can see why." she answered simply.

"Hmmm, I suppose you can." The Hokage took a long drag from his pipe as he stared off into the waning sun hanging over his city. So many people the he was personally responsible for, could he really help one person over all the others?

Anko shifted from foot to foot waiting for the old man to say more. When it was clear she was going to have to speak, she groaned. "Is watching some kids have a little tuff the only reason you asked me to join you today, Hokage-sama?"

That was enough to break the elder Sarutobi out of his thoughts. "Oh, that's right, I have a small request." he drawled. "Naruto came to me the other night about trying to find a good hobby and he expressed interest in tea ceremony." he lied, effortlessly. "Of course, I remembered your interest in the subject so I thought to ask you to get him started since you know each other so well. Would you mind helping him learn all of the rituals and such?"

"Uh..._Naruto _asked about it?" Anko parroted, not really believing it. "He never said anything to me about it...I guess I could." she agreed. "Is that it?"

"Yes, that's all. Thank you, Anko, for staying by Naruto after all this time, I'm afraid my duties keep me from seeing him as much as I would like."

Anko waved the old man off. "Don't worry about it, I'll always look out for the little brat."

Once the Special Jounin had disappeared in a puff of smoke, the Hokage smiled to himself. "It's true that you should look around, Naruto, but that doesn't mean give up entirely." he laughed to himself before disappearing in a swirl of leaves himself...

_**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

Yeah, completely a filler chapter thus why it's so short. I really have no excuse for this horrible mess of a chapter this was so I won't even defend it. All I'll say is that it had to be done to bridge the end of Ino's training and main Team Two misson next chapter which takes place a few weeks before the Chuunin Exams; it's gonna be killer.

On to Hinata; her personality will be explained later on in the story so I won't answer too many questions about it. For now, lets just say Neji pushed a bit too far and opened Pandora's Box.

As to Ino's performance; I hope I didn't make her look too overpowered. I really wanted to avoid that but I also wanted to show her improvement over what the Academy teaches. I did, however, hint at her future fighting style in this chapter. I'm really looking forward to revealing it.

Anyway, next chapter is Team Two's first mission! Look for action, intrigue, and time skips; see yas.

_**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_  
:Jutsu List:  
_**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Skill)**  
One of the earliest fire jutsu's. The user focuses their chakra into their chest and shoots it at their opponent. Damage can increase with higher chakra usage. _

_**Katon: Housenka (Fire Release: Mythical Fire Flower )**  
A jutsu that sends multiple blasts of fire from the mouth, usually with one target in mind. Shurikens can also be hidden inside the flames, creating an element of surprise. C-Class jutsu. _


	12. Shock to the System

Hello there, everyone! Well, first off I have to apologize for the long wait. Ragnarok Online basically took over my life for a bit there and I fell behind. However, the evil demon that is the MMORPG has been sated, somewhat, and I'm back to writing! This chapter is violent and has very little comedy in it. If you like humor, then I'm sorry to say this is the turning point for the story. From here on out it gets gritty and dark. Anyway, I hope you still like it; this is one of the best chapters I've ever written. Read, review, and enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or Naruto fans. Of course, who would want to own a crazy bunch like that?

Thanks goes out to the ever-watchful JohnnyG for being the beta for this, and other fictions that I produce. Give him your thanks!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Shock to the System  
**

* * *

"Stupid Gai-sensei with his insane training..." Naruto grumbled as his body protested the short walk up the flight of stairs that led to his apartment. 

Team Two's eccentric leader decided that his youthful charges were getting far too lax with their individual training. As such, the rest of the day was nothing but basic taijutsu drills, which Naruto still had problems with, and weight training. In fact, all three Genin's now sported different weights somewhere on their bodies.

Naruto frowned at the special gloves and shoes Gai had given Tenten and himself. In all, it was about fifty pounds of lead. Tenten had nearly blown a fuse when Gai had ordered her to slip on the weighted gloves because of her reliance on ranged attacks. She quickly lost her complaints, however, when she saw Lee struggle just to stand; her green-suited comrade had packed on over three hundred pound of "grit and determination" as Gai called it. Tenten called it suicide.

"That guy **_is _**insane. Wasn't it enough torture that he made us sit the Chuunin exams out?" Naruto grumbled as he unlocked his apartment. Once inside, he quickly made his way to the kitchen to get something to drink. He would have taken off his weights had Gai not ordered him to keep them on at all times.

Orochi raised his head from behind Naruto's hitai-ate and tasted the air with his tongue; something was off. "We aren't alone," the serpent hissed in Naruto's ear.

That simple statement had the boy's undivided attention. His eyes flared to life as a single Tome appeared in each pupil; it was times like these he cursed his father's genetic trait of a slowly-developing Sharingan.

Naruto tried not to look suspicious as he calmly finished his drink. If the intruder thought he still had the element of surprise then it would be easy to reverse the tables once, or if, they attacked.

"Do you know where they're at?" Naruto whispered as he leaned into his refrigerator to block his mouth movements.

Orochi took another taste of the air and shook his head. "No. The scent isn't as strong in the kitchen, though, so it's safe to assume they aren't in here."

Naruto sighed; he did not need to play a game of hide-and-seek in his own apartment. _'Okay, time to improvise,' _he decided.

The boy closed the refrigerator and exited the kitchen. Orochi, far more tuned into his partner's various moods, couldn't help but get worried by what he knew was going to happen.

Naruto reached the doorway of his apartment before wheeling around to face his dark living room.

"Okay, I know someone is there, so come on out!" Naruto declared. He imagined it was Konohamaru preparing another ambush for him since the boy was a bit overdue on the assassination attempt this week. "Hurry up, kid, I want to get this over with so I can get some sleep. Gai-sensei put me through the ringer today."

When the caped boy didn't emerge to challenge the blond for the right to be Hokage, Naruto's eye started to twitch. It was late, he was tired, and Konohamaru already knew that the position of Hokage wasn't even an interest.

Orochi's slitted eyes flickered with worry. Whoever was in the small apartment was very adept at hiding. If Naruto wasn't so tired, the boy probably would have realized that there was no way Konohamaru could have improved that much between his last 'ambush' and this one. Weighing his options carefully, the snake quickly slithered into Naruto's shirt and down the surprised blond's pants leg.

"Hey, where are you goi-" Naruto's question was interrupted by a kunai impeding itself deep into the doorframe behind him. It was in that instance, Naruto realized something was wrong.

"_**Raiton: Denryuu no Jutsu!" **_

Naruto's head snapped back to attention as the far side of the living room lit up like a candle. The Uchiha could barely make out the glint of a hitai-ate in the flickering light of the thunder technique. Quickly, too fast for the tired Genin to even think of countering, the dancing electricity had closed the distance.

The attack came in the form of a palm thrust to the boy's right shoulder. Naruto cried out in shock as pure electricity rippled into his muscles causing them to spasm out of control. Through the pain, Naruto was barely aware that the attacker's other hand was going for his left calf muscle to completely immobilize him.

In a fit of desperation, Naruto brought his left elbow down hard on the intruder's outstretched arm. Catching the man, as Naruto could now see the gender of his opponent clearly in his close proximity, unaware proved to be futile as a swift knee strike stopped his short-lived counter attack. It did, however, force the attacker to halt his electrical discharge into Naruto's body.

As Naruto crumpled to the ground, the intruder took a step back and surveyed his work. "Pretty tough for a brat," he laughed. "Most of the time, one shot that close to the heart would have sent a target into arrest."

Naruto let him talk without interrupting; the more time the man ran his mouth, the more time he had to think of a way out of his current situation. The boy carefully started to test what in his body still worked. As the man had said, the attack was starting to cause his arm to spasm by itself. The smell of burnt flesh was also present letting Naruto know the attack had also caused lasting physical damage. The boy supposed he was lucky that he couldn't feel his arm at the moment or else he would most likely have passed out from the pain.

'_I have to get help...' _Naruto decided. Still, he would need more time to think up a viable plan.

"W-what do you want...with me?" the Genin ground out against the muscle spasms. It seemed the effect was starting to spread. "I'm...j-j-just a Genin."

"Because you are valuable." Even though the blond couldn't see his attacker now that the electric jutsu was canceled, he could almost hear the smile in the man's voice. "The grandson of a Hokage, adopted or not, is still a nice trump card. Not to mention the other perks that come along with you."

Naruto clenched his working fist; all of this was just a way to get to his grandfather. "I **won't**...let you do that," the boy stated as he started to gather chakra. Subtly, he moved his left hand underneath his body and started working his numb right hand into a series of seals.

Fortunately, his attacker seemed not to notice these happenings. Instead, the man quietly laughed at Naruto's declaration. "And how do you plan on stopping me in that condition? You're hardly-"

Naruto's clawed fist grinding into his gut stopped the man from continuing his taunting any further. With the _Shikyaku no Jutsu_ in effect, the tingling sensation in his right arm was blunted enough that, with enough concentration, he could move it.

Knowing that the man wouldn't be down for very long, Naruto focused his feral mind on one thing: Kakashi. If he could just make it across the hall...

"That wasn't a smart idea, kid," the man growled as he started to rise to his feet.

With a feral snarl, Inu-Naruto took a sharp swipe at the recovering shinobi. The man let out a curse as he threw himself backwards to avoid Naruto's newly-grown claws. The speed of the assault, however, proved to be too much and Inu-Naruto's fingers caught the metal hitai-ate resting on the man's forehead.

Still gripping the protector, Inu-Naruto spun on his heels and threw himself at the door. With a sharp snap, the hinges burst from the wall and the door toppled over with the Genin landing on top of it. Blocking out the sound of crackling electricity coming from behind him, Naruto bolted towards Kakashi's door and hit it with all of his bodyweight. When the lazy Jounin didn't answer, he started to pound at the wooden barrier before his fists were silenced by an abrupt shock.

The pain erupting from the base of his neck forced Naruto out of his jutsu. In a fit of desperation, Naruto hurled the hitai-ate at the shinobi who now had his electrified hand clamped around his neck.

The man merely snapped his head to the side and avoided the piece of metal as it went sailing down the hall. A simple increase in the amount of voltage in his attack sent Naruto into unconsciousness.

"Well, that took you long enough, Raijin," a second man said as he calmly walked down the apartment building's hall. His long white hair was held out of his glasses by a hitai-ate identical to the one Naruto had used as a makeshift weapon.

'Raijin' let out a groan as he lifted the blond up onto his shoulders. "Don't start, Fujin. I didn't know the kid would be this much of a problem."

'Fujin' scowled. "That means either our informant is an idiot or you are; take your pick."

Raijin simply chuckled as he set about looking for his hitai-ate. After a few moments, he shifted the unconscious Konoha-nin on his shoulder and frowned. "Hey, have you seen my-"

"No." Fujin snapped. "You'd better find it quickly, though. We have to get this area wiped and be out of the village in the next ten minutes. Our informant could only give us a window of so long."

"Get off my back and start on the brat's apartment. I'll find the damn thing and then we can get the hell out of this place," Raijin growled, showing some annoyance.

Fujin snorted but nevertheless walked into Naruto's apartment. A few moments later a dulled explosion of air rippled through the halls of the building. Seconds after that, Fujin walked back out, impassive as ever.

"It's finished," the man said as he adjusted his glasses. "Did you find your hitai-ate yet?"

"No, I didn't. Screw it, though." Raijin sighed. He pushed his bushy mop of brown hair back and motioned to the fire escape. "We have to get out of here **_now._** By the time Konoha's ANBU find it, we'll be long gone. You know _he _won't admit anything to these Leaf bastards. What kinds of charges can Konoha make with only a single hitai-ate?"

It was obvious by Fujin's frown that he didn't agree. "But-" he started to object when Raijin shook his head, silencing his protests.

"What's worse; leaving this bit of evidence for them to find in a few days or getting caught by the Copy-nin when he gets back from training his Genins?"

Needless to say, the two were gone in the blink of an eye. Neither of them noticed the bluish snake coiled around a shiny plate of metal inside of the laundry shoot.

If a snake could grind its teeth, Orochi would have broken his fangs off in rage as he stared down at the small etching of three clouds on the metal plate...

**_-------------------_**

"Heh, my kids are something else," Sarutobi Asuma stated as he took another drag from his cigarette. He, along with the other two Jounins that had taken on Genin's, were currently sitting in a small bar only a stones throw from the Hokage Tower. It was a popular place for Konoha-nins to simply unwind after work; that, and it was the closest place they could get tanked upon getting back from reporting from a mission. "I mean, I hardly have to do any work with that Yamanaka girl barking out orders to them. We guys got lucky today; _Miss _Yamanaka is currently at the tower filling out our mission report because, 'you men are too stupid to do it correctly.' I gave the boys a break by giving the team a week of self-training."

Kurenai chuckled, she had heard things about the kunoichi in question. "It is my understanding she has something against men." The red-eyed Jounin laughed again when Asuma snorted. "I thought for sure I would get her because of that."

"Oh? Is my nephew's sparing partner giving you chills, Asuma?" Kakashi asked with an amused smile under his mask. "You might want to watch out during kunai practice; she might 'slip' and take off little monkey."

That succeeded in making the young Jounin almost choke on his cigarette. The man quickly closed his legs in a protective manner as if Ino were going to jump from behind a random chair with a pair of scissors. "Ha, ha, Kakashi. Joke all you want, one day she might be one of your in-laws."

The masked Jounin wisely dropped the subject as Kurenai had another laugh at the male's expense.

"Come on, she can't be that bad," the female Jounin said.

"She's worse than you," Asuma retorted while Kakashi nodded his agreement.

Kurenai blinked; that **_was _**pretty bad. Still, her team wasn't all aces and spades, either. "At least you two don't have to put up with Hyuuga Hinata," she snorted. "You know, she actually tried to correct my taijutsu stance when I was having a practice spar with Shino."

Kakashi simply shook his head. "_I_ have to put up with her cousin. Now that he's away from Hinata, Neji is taking out his frustrations at home on his teammates. Seems the kid is really messed up from what they put him through."

"Isn't Uchiha Sasuke on your team?" Asuma asked, imagining how the Hyuuga's attitude would be oil to the Uchiha's water.

"Yes. I'm sure you can see what kind of team dynamic I have to deal with." the silver-haired Jounin deadpanned. "Sakura isn't any help; she just agrees with whatever Sasuke says."

Asuma nodded in sympathy. "I know what you mean. Between ordering Shikamaru and Choji around, Ino tells them to be more like Sasuke. I'm pretty sure Shikamaru is getting sick of it since he seems to have taken a small liking to her."

Kakashi actually did laugh at that. "Going after girls like that must run in his family."

As Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi had a nice laugh at the expense of both Shikamaru and his wife-whipped father, the Jounin kunoichi noticed someone heading towards the Hokage tower out of the window of the bar.

"Isn't that Hokage-sama's grandson?" she asked.

The two men instantly stopped laughing and Asuma leaned over Kurenai to take a look. Sure enough, a young blond wearing the trademark 'Mitarashi Anko-brand gray trench coat' was quickly making his way towards the tower.

"Hey, it's your nephew, Kakashi," Asuma said as he plopped back down in his chair.

Kakashi's visible eyebrow rose; it was a bit late for Naruto to be visiting the Sandaime. As the blond ran past the window of the bar, Kakashi was instantly out of his seat.

"That's not Naruto; that's Orochi," he stated as he moved towards the door. Kurenai and Asuma shared a look before mutually shrugging and following the lazy Jounin.

Orochi was still shaking with rage as he made his way to the looming tower in the distance. As the events of the evening replayed in his mind, his grip on the Kumogakure hitai-ate tightened.

It was a difficult decision he had made. From the onset, he had known that Naruto didn't stand a chance against his opponent. From the man's chakra, the demon snake could tell he was a Jounin-level opponent. Even with his help, Naruto wouldn't have lasted. At least this way he had evidence to back up his claim of Naruto's abduction.

"Yo...Orochi."

The snake in Genin's clothing was instantly on the defensive as he turned towards the voice. Walking out of a nearby bar was none other than the Copy-nin of Konoha.

Orochi's eyes narrowed dangerously as the man approached. It didn't help matters that he was being flanked by two people the summon had never seen before. The permanently summoned reptile racked his brain for some sort of test even as he was gathering chakra.

"...If you lack heaven, seek wisdom and be prepared..." Orochi stated. Asuma and Kurenai were confused by this but Kakashi instantly became worried. If Orochi was without Naruto and being this cautious, then something was definitely up.

"...if you lack earth, run in the fields and seek advantages. If you have both heaven and earth, you can succeed even in the most dangerous of missions. So is the Chuunin motto crafted by the Sandaime," Kakashi recited. "Did I pass?"

Orochi gave him one last, look before nodding. He held up the Kumo hitai-ate and tossed it to Kakashi. "One hour ago, Naruto was abducted by two men wearing those."

The blood in Kakashi's face drained as he looked at the symbol. Faster than anyone could see, his mask was down and he had bitten his thumb. A rapid series of hand seals followed with a thrust to the ground finishing.

"**_Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_** A large cloud of smoke erupted from around the Jounin. Several dogs were now occupying the space where there was once nothing. Kakashi held out the piece of metal and cloth so all of the dogs could get a sniff.

"Find me a trail but don't leave the area. When you're sure you have a sent, send Pakkun to get me."

Without another word, he was running towards the tower with Orochi following as fast as he could; the nin-dogs had gone about their task as soon as the words left Kakashi's lips. Asuma and Kurenai, now knowing something was seriously wrong, hurried to catch up.

**_-------------------_**

Inside his office, the Third Hokage was sifting through the various mission reports from the day. Even though he was the supreme leader of Konohagakure, the wizened elder Sarutobi still liked to see how his 'family' was doing personally. Between handing out missions personally to just taking time to walk around the village to talk to the people, he was a very active Hokage.

Currently, he was reviewing a report written by someone who he had a vested interest in. After all, his grandson didn't take a shine to just anyone.

"Ah, quite a thorough briefing, Ino-san," the Third stated, smiling at the young blonde. "I'm surprised it was you who filled this out and not your Jounin-sensei, however."

The kunoichi's eye started to twitch upon someone mentioning, in her opinion, her good-for-nothing commander. "Asuma-sensei? I wouldn't trust him to guard my dad's shop with an army," she snorted.

The Hokage laughed the girl's characterization of his wayward son. "Oh, I think you're being a bit too hard on him, he's not that bad."

Ino made a face and took to pretending interest in the various objects in the room. No way she would admit she actually liked her chain-smoking sensei, even if it was only a bit. All thoughts were interrupted when a knock sounded through the spacious office.

"Come in," the Hokage called out without looking up from the report. When several people were ushered in, he didn't even have to look up to know who they were. "Kakashi-san, Kurenai-san, Asuma, Orochi-kun."

"Asuma-sensei? What's wrong?" Ino asked upon seeing the stressed face of her commander. She was even more confused with the lack of greeting from Naruto. "What's up with you guys?"

Asuma took a quick look at Ino and motioned towards the door. "Go close the door and be quiet." The tone he used brokered no arguments.

The blonde huffed at being ordered around in such a way but did as she was ordered. She closed the door and took a place at the back of the room behind her teacher.

One the door was closed, Kakashi approached the Hokage's desk and set the Kumo hitai-ate down on the stack of papers the old leader was sifting through.

"According to Orochi, Naruto was abducted by two Kumo-nins no more than two hours ago," the copy-nin stated in a deceptively controlled voice. From behind him, Ino gasped.

Other than the pen in the Sandaime's hand snapping in half under the force of his fist, the old Hokage betrayed no outward emotion. After a deep breath, he turned to the snake-eyed bunshin.

"Tell me exactly what you witnessed," he ordered in a calm voice.

Under different circumstances, the self-declared Yamata no Orochi would have balked at being ordered around by a mere human; he let it slide for now, however.

"Naruto had just gotten back from training with his team. I could tell that someone was in the apartment with us but Naruto thought it was just that Konohamaru brat playing a prank. The chakra the man held was too large for us to fight so I moved to a safe place before he attacked," the serpent stated.

"You mean you left Naruto to fight by himself?" Kakashi asked. The tone of his voice would suggest it was nothing more than a casual question but the malevolent gleam in his visible eye promised pain. "Can you explain to me why you did that?"

Orochi returned to glare with one of his own. With his snake-like eyes, he looked very much like a certain missing-nin that would make lesser people run for cover. "I could do nothing to help against two Jounin-level shinobi. Without me hiding, you wouldn't even know the boy is missing until you stumbled back to your apartment and found your entire floor in shambles."

Kakashi was about to offer his opinion on this when the Hokage's hand slamming down on his desk drew all eyes to him. The Sandaime was leaking killer intent as the Kumo hitai-ate actually started to fold under the pressure of his grip.

"This is no time to be arguing amongst ourselves; especially when we don't even know if Naruto has been taken out of the village yet," he said. "Yamato!"

At the call, a man in a cat ANBU mask appeared beside the Hokage. He bowed slightly but made sure to keep an eye on each of the shinobi arrayed before the Hokage.

The Sandaime lit his pipe and inhaled deeply; if the situation wasn't played exactly to the letter, it could be an inter-village disaster. He turned to the newly arrived ANBU. "Yamato, take a team to Uzumaki Naruto's apartment and get a validation of the abduction. Be quick and be discreet."

"Be careful, one of the abductors used some sort of jutsu in Naruto's apartment. I don't know what it did since I didn't stop to look," Orochi warned. Yamato barely nodded before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"What are you going to do now?" Ino asked, speaking for the first time. "Why aren't you sending out Hunter-nin?"

The Hokage stared at the Kumo hitai-ate in his hand. After a few moments, the old man let out a tired sigh as he placed the cold piece of metal on his desk. "Because, Yamanaka-san, I cannot show favoritism to any one person in this village. Based simply on the evidence, this could just be a prank by someone or Naruto himself."

"Using a Raiton jutsu to electrify someone into coma isn't a joke of any kind," Orochi snarled. It was clear to all present that the creature was royally pissed at the moment. "Talking about 'informants' inside of the village to monitor patrols isn't a joke."

Kurenai's eyes twitched, this was getting them nowhere. "Hokage-sama, we must investigate this!" she urged. "No one will see it as favoritism if you send out a few teams just to scout the border of Kumo!"

The elder Sarutobi merely sent Kakashi a pained glance as explanation. It was so brief, the others were unable to see it. "I can not. This could escalate to war and the council-"

"-won't risk war with Hidden Cloud over a single Genin; even if he is the grandson of the Hokage." Asuma finished with a snort of disgust. "That's what Kumogakure is banking on; they've gotten too bold after the Hyuuga incident!"

"Why the hell would they even want Naruto in the first place?" Ino demanded. "I mean, there are plenty of clans they could have gotten things from, so why him? He's just a Genin!"

At this, Kurenai and Asuma turned to Kakashi. Neither of them had an answer for the girl. "She has a point," Kurenai agreed. "Although Naruto is the grandson of the Hokage, a Hidden Village wouldn't go to this much trouble just to get back at one man. They wouldn't risk war over something like that."

The Hokage looked to Kakashi; it was the Jounin's call on what he wanted to do. The copy-nin groaned; this was getting them nowhere.

"The only thing I'll say is that Naruto has a family bloodlimit they probably feel they can steal. How Kumo found out about this, I don't know," Kakashi said. It was obvious that was all he would say on the matter. "If we have reason to believe there is a spy, the counsel cannot deny a detachment to be sent out to track these people down even if it would risk war."

"I agree." Surprisingly, it was Asuma who spoke up. "We'll get the answers when we find them. I request permission to lead an ANBU detachment to track them down."

Kakashi turned to the younger Sarutobi with surprise while the Hokage knitted his eyebrows. A spy was a legitimate threat and it couldn't be linked to Naruto so the counsel wouldn't fight as hard to block it. "I suppose-"

"Hokage-sama." Yamato interrupted the elder Sarutobi as he appeared back in the room. "I am back with a preliminary report." When the Hokage motioned for him to continue, he turned towards the group of Jounin's and Genin. "Uzumaki Naruto's apartment is completely empty. There is no sign of a struggle nor is there any visible damage other than the door frame."

"That's impossible!" Kakashi shouted. "How can there be nothing there when I ate breakfast with him this morning?"

The impassive mask of Yamato's turned towards Kakashi. "As I said, Senpai, there is nothing in the boy's apartment. No furniture, no windows, no appliances...it's a hollow shell. It's as if he left and took everything he owns with him."

"That's bullshit! Naruto wouldn't just leave!" Ino yelled, trembling in rage. Yamato actually shifted into a slight defensive stance just in case to girl decided to vent her frustrations on him.

Asuma held out his hand to silence her, however, before she could show just how deep a grave her tongue could dig for her. Once she was silent, he turned to the Hokage with a blank look. "So, they covered their tracks well, it seems. They want us to think Naruto left of his own accord and spend several days on an investigation geared towards inner-village conflict. The only thing they botched was leaving a single hitai-ate behind and a bunshin."

Orochi bristled. "I am _not _a bunshin, human," he snarled.

"Regardless of that," the Hokage started, cutting off any arguments, "the counsel will block any move I make outside of an investigation. With this, even the spy claim is put into doubt."

Ino was the first to respond as she recovered the fastest. "What the hell do you mean? You're the Hokage!" she yelled. "Naruto is a shinobi of the village, won't the counsel want him back?!"

The silence that came from the village elder was the only answer the young Yamanaka received.

Kakashi ignored the group as his mind began to work. He had to get out of the village soon or the trail would be lost. If he simply left, certain enemies of his on the council could have him declared a missing-nin very quickly; he had pissed off enough people on the council that, as a group, they could force the issue. If he had a legitimate reason for leaving, however...

"Hokage-sama, I believe I have some psychiatric leave I never took," Kakashi stated as his brain latched onto an idea.

The Hokage's eyebrows knitted in confusion for a few moments before he recalled why that was. "Of course..." he smiled. "Hatake Kakashi, you are hereby allowed to take one week sabbatical leave. You may take your leave now and I'll deal with the paperwork."

Kakashi nodded. Obito had saved his own son's life even in death, it seemed. As he hurried to the door, Ino blocked his way.

"I'm going, too! I don't know what's going on, but I owe that urchin-head a lot." she declared. "Besides, Asuma-sensei said we have personal training for the rest of the week!"

Asuma shot Kakashi an apologetic look; once Ino made up her mind it was hell getting her to back down. The masked Jounin narrowed his visible eye before motioning for her to follow. "If you fall behind, you're on your own. Understand?"

"Kakashi-san..." Kurenai interrupted. The Jounin turned to her with an expression that clearly stated that he would like to get going. "I believe Anko-chan still has some psychiatric leave as well from when she was a Genin. I, as her best friend, think she should take it now."

"If you believe so, Yuuhi-san. I'll put in her paperwork at the same time as Hatake-san," the Hokage agreed.

Kakashi nodded as a show of thanks to the red-eyed woman before dashing out the door with Ino and Orochi trailing behind. The three remaining occupants of the office were now faced with a very uncomfortable silence before the Hokage stood from his chair.

"Yuuhi-san, if you would kindly go inform Ibiki to begin the missing-nin protocol on Genin Uzumaki Naruto, I would be very thankful," the senior said. "I would usually go myself, but I would like to speak with my son. Take Yamato with you, as well."

Kurenai's eyes instantly shot wide open. That was the first time she had ever heard the Third acknowledge Asuma as his son since their falling-out. Asuma seemed just as shocked as he actually allowed his cigarette to fall from his mouth.

"O-of course, Hokage-sama!" In a flash, the genjutsu specialist and the ANBU captain were gone from the room leaving the two Sarutobi's alone.

Asuma, now a bit more himself, merely leaned against the thick wooden desk; there was no way _he _was going to start this conversation.

The Hokage was in a similar state of mind as he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he took a long puff from his pipe and walked over to the window to stare at the fading sunset.

"I need a favor from you, Asuma," he stated.

That caught the Jounin off-guard. Not a mission or order, but a favor? "What is it...dad? I promise I'll do whatever I can to help."

The elder Sarutobi turned around with a wide smile on his face. With that simple action, Asuma felt a small part of his pain heal; his father actually needed him.

Of course, when he actually heard what he had so blindly promised to do, Asuma cursed every deity he knew for making him a Sarutobi...

**_-------------------_**

The crackling of a fire pulled Naruto out of his haze. Still very tired and very numb, Naruto's head felt like it was full of cotton balls. His hearing, as far as he could tell, was either failing him or there were no other sounds other than the crackling fire.

Deciding that his captors most likely knew he was awake, Naruto chose to open his eyes and try to learn something rather than continue to play opossum.

The instant his eyes snapped open he was the center of attention. The man that had ambushed him was sitting by the fire, quietly watching. When Naruto narrowed his eyes, he laughed.

"Finally up, huh? Don't get any ideas or I'll put you out again," Raijin warned.

Naruto snorted but kept his mouth closed so the million insults swirling in his mind didn't come spilling out. Another man, one the blond hadn't seen before, walked out of the tree line and towards the camp.

Upon seeing a conscious Naruto, Fujin frowned and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "You're letting him stay conscious? Is that wise?"

Raijin shrugged. "Probably not," he admitted. "Still, we don't wanna risk damaging his eyes with too much electricity, do we?"

"...True. This entire trip would be useless if we damaged the Sharingan," Fujin agreed as he sat on the opposite side of the fire.

Naruto's blood ran as cold as the creatures he summoned. His most guarded secret was known to two people he didn't even know. Even more of a shock was that as he stared at the man in glasses, he noticed the hitai-ate the man had and felt his eyes grow to the size of dinner plates.

"Kumogakure..." Naruto whispered. Just the thought of being in the hands of an old enemy like Hidden Cloud left the Genin with a hopeless feeling in the pit of his gut.

Fujin and Raijin both glanced over at the boy; the latter with a smirk. "Exactly, brat. Now that you know what kind of situation you're in, I'll take it that you won't try anything stupid."

The boy leaned back against the tree he was propped-up against. Not only was he captured, he was obviously outside of his village with a hostile enemy that had a history of wanting a Dojutsu.

"That's all this is?" he asked, not even looking at the two men. "All of this trouble just so you can steal my bloodlimit?"

Fujin was the one who fielded the question. "Partially. You are also the grandson of Konoha's Kage. If, in the highly unlikely event that he should discover it was Hidden Cloud that has you, we can use you as a shield against any sort of action."

Raijin shifted at his partners words. "Eh, that's a bit wordy," he groaned. "Listen up, kid. The bottom line is that as long as you be quiet and cooperate, the most you'll lose is your eyesight."

Fujin snorted and stoked the fire a bit more. "Regardless of the manner of explanation, just remember there is no escape. Blame your village, family, or luck; I don't care."

"So, which of you will be getting my eyes, then?" Naruto asked suddenly. At Raijin's incredulous stare, the boy elaborated in a sarcastic voice. "Well, there's no point getting upset about something I can't control, right? Which of you is it?"

The brown-haired man started to chuckle, his shoulders shaking in the dim firelight. "Adopted or not, you're definably a Sarutobi. Don't worry about that right now, just get some sleep, kid." With that, the man turned around to talk quietly with his companion leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts...

**_-------------------_**

"Explain to me one more time about how you just left Naruto alone to take on a Jounin?!" Mitarashi Anko demanded she paced back and forth in front of the village gate. Ino and Kakashi stayed off to one side to watch the grilling Orochi was receiving with the latter mirroring Anko's sentiments.

The serpent-like blond remained calm and only sighed as his only show of annoyance. "Make sure you listen this time, _female._ Naruto would have been captured regardless of what I did. **Two **Jounin's against a Genin and myself? I left to get reinforcements and to regroup, you would have done the same."

The purple-haired kunoichi was by Orochi in the blink of an eye with her hands around his throat. "Listen to me, you walking pair of boots, I would have never left him there to face that by himself!" she snarled. When Orochi started to make a strangled sound, he was dropped to the street by Anko. "I would never leave someone I..." the Special Jounin's eyes widened for a moment before she snapped her mouth shut with an audible click. Instead of saying anything, Anko simply glared at the object of her ire.

Ino watched all this with rapidly narrowing eyes. Mostly out of annoyance at the attitude Orochi was sporting, but a small part at Anko's as well. There was just something _off _about the way she was taking this.

The young Yamanaka spared a look at Kakashi. The Jounin was calmly waiting for one of his nin dogs to get a trail to follow and hadn't said two words since he ordered them to stop at the gate. Ino had expected Anko to act like him; quiet and reserved but plotting bloody revenge. Instead, Anko had been almost been in hysterics ever since she found out. For some reason, it was very unsettling to the blonde girl. That her own initial response was along the same lines wasn't any more comforting.

Apparently, Kakashi was tired of the arguing as well. "Anko, he did the right thing," the Jounin grudgingly agreed. "If they would have fought together, they would have both been captured and it would have taken us hours to figure out even half of what we know now."

"Why don't you-" Anko's answer was cut-off by a small dog running up to the group. Kakashi recognized it immediately and pushed off of the gate to meet him.

"So...do you have a trail yet?" the copy-nin asked.

The small pug nodded and pointed his adorably squishy paw towards a far side of the village wall. "They left the village and headed north about two hours ago. The others are further out picking up the trail," the dog answered, much to Ino's surprise.

Before Kakashi could answer, another person made their presence known to the group. "Well then, we should get going before the scent is deluded by the morning dew, right?"

Anko and Ino turned around at the familiar voice of Sarutobi Asuma. Said Jounin was puffing on a cigarette and leaning on the side of the guard shack.

"When did you get here?" the purple-haired woman asked with a raised eyebrow. She hadn't even known he was there.

The younger Sarutobi shrugged. "Long enough to know that we need to start making better use of our time than pointing fingers," he scolded with a slight narrowing of his eyes.

Ino was taken aback at the light reprimand. The slight edge in his voice made his words carry such an air of authority that the Genin found it hard to argue back. Looking over at Anko, Ino found the Special Jounin coming to the same conclusion.

"And what are you doing here?" Kakashi asked before Anko snapped out of her disbelief. "We were about to leave."

The spiky-haired Sarutobi took another long drag off his cigarette before walking over to the group. Now that he was closer, the various implements and supplies in his vest could be seen; the man was ready for full combat.

Asuma waved off Kakashi's questioning gaze with a gesture of his hand. "I told the old man I wanted to take a few vacation days. He was a bit hesitant at first, but he came around. After all..." the Jounin paused and dropped his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. "...that kid means a lot to him."

"Whatever!" Anko snapped, finally recovering from _Sarutobi Asuma _of all people correcting her. "We're wasting time here while Naruto is getting closer to Kumo! You all know as much as I do how much hell we'll have to go through if they get him there," she growled.

Pakkun nodded his agreement. "She's right, the scent was weak enough like it is without you all dragging your feet."

Kakashi nodded and did a quick check of his supplies. He scolded himself mentally for only bringing the bare essentials compared to Asuma. Still, there wasn't much he could do about it now.

"Alright, you all are familiar with the standard patrol formation, correct?" Kakashi asked Ino and Orochi more than the group as a whole. When the both nodded, he continued. "Okay then. Orochi and Pakkun will take point since they can follow the trail easier. Anko, you and I will be the middle support with Asuma and Ino guarding the rear."

Asuma stepped up before Kakashi could continue. "Remember, these people had help from inside Konoha so we should assume they have a good understanding of the area and our border patrols. However, they don't know they're being followed which gives us the advantage." With that, he walked to the back of the formation and stood beside a slightly shocked Ino.

Kakashi blinked. "Uh...right. Exactly," he dumbly stated. Asuma had pretty much summed it all up. "Pakkun, Orochi. Let's get going."

With that, the six figured disappeared into the trees as blurs. The hunt for one of their own, Uzumaki Naruto, was on...

* * *

And I'll stop there for today. Sorry for this taking so long to get out, folks, but I've been pretty busy. Originally, this was going to be one huge chapter but since I haven't updated in awhile I thought I'd break it in half so I could give you all something new to read. Next on my update list is Dueling, then on to Sounding. Hopefully, I can get them out a bit quicker. See ya! 

**:Jutsu List:**

_**Raiton: Denryuu no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Electric Current Skill)**  
Converts chakra into electricity. Can be adjusted into bursts to render opponents unconscious. _

**_Shikyaku no Jutsu (Quadruped Skill)_**  
_The Inuzuka's trademark jutsu! The user grows claws and fangs while dropping to all-fours to attack the opponent. Since the user's fingernails are so long it makes it hard to do hand seals but speed and offensive power increases. _


	13. Broadway

Howdy, howdy! I'm sure the last chapter threw you for a loop and the questions that have been coming in more that send that point across. Oh, and there are a lot of Ino haters that read this. I don't know why people hate her so much, I really don't understand it. Anyway, sorry for the loooooong update time, I was kinda in a rut for a bit. Read, review, and enjoy the latest chapter of Black Sheep! I like this chapter in particular because my favorite character makes her first appearance in the story. hint, hint

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, this site, any of the characters in this story, or oddly enough, Indiana Jones. Just read, you might get it.

As always, the excellent grammar is brought to you by my beta! JohnnyG does yet another wonder job turning my gibberish into readable fiction.

* * *

**Chapter 13: Broadway  
**

* * *

A standard patrol of Konoha-nin silently made their way across the country they had been assigned to. Most would consider it to be a dangerous route to watch considering its close proximity to the Land of Clouds; plus it didn't help that there were rumors of another hidden village springing up in the Land of Rice Fields.

Still, the group continued on with their duties. After all, there truly wasn't any valid reason to be uncomfortable; Konoha and Kumo hadn't been at war for decades. Still, the unit leader didn't let his men slack off, for such a thing wasn't becoming of his village.

As vigilant as the border patrol was, they simply couldn't be expected to catch the individuals that were ghosting their zigzagging path. Especially since they were high-ranking Jounin.

Raijin and Fujin silently tracked the Chuunin patrol with an unconscious Naruto over Raijin's shoulder. Since their informant had obviously gotten something incorrect, there wasn't supposed to even be a patrol this far out, they were having to improvise. Still, it wasn't that much of a challenge for the two shinobi, as they had dodged border patrols on their way into the Land of Fire.

Still, the exercise slowed their exit considerably as Konoha patrol routes were notoriously random so as to confuse spies. It was said that only the Hokage himself knew where every one of his countries patrols were at any given time. Of course, the two Kumo-nin weren't overly concerned about their escape time; they were positive it would be a few days before any ANBU were sent from the village...

"There was a fire here," Pakkun stated as he sniffed around a relatively normal-looking patch of bare forest. Kakashi, Asuma, Anko, and Ino were looking around to try and find any sign of Naruto's kidnappers as Pakkun continued trying to find the trail he had just lost.

Kakashi walked over to the line of trees where his pug summons was standing. "A fire over here by the trees? I don't think these shinobi are ignorant," he stated.

Pakkun shook his little head. "I don't know where the fire was, I just smell the lingering smell of charcoal over here. They probably cleared the area out before moving on."

Asuma looked at the direction the dog had been sniffing before turning back to the campsite. "So...they camped here for the night and then cleaned up before they left. Most likely, the same jutsu that was used in Naruto's apartment was used here to erase any trace of their presence. It was complete luck that one of them walked near the fire then off to the woods so that the scent of the fire would be outside of the jutsu's area of effect."

Ino blinked. "Wow, that's pretty good, sensei," she praised. If her lazy team leader acted like this on half of the missions Team Ten did then they could get done much quicker.

Anko, however, was in no mood to ponder anything and she pushed past Asuma to grab the little dog up by the scruff of his neck. "Which way did they go?" she snapped. "If they stopped for the night then we've gained some ground, we can't just sit here!"

"Anko, calm down," Kakashi moaned. It was pathetic in his opinion; Ino was carrying herself better than the Special Jounin at the moment. "If you let your personal feelings towards Naruto dictate your actions now, you'll only be a hindrance."

The words hit the woman like a bucket of cold water. She promptly dropped Pakkun to the ground and walked off to the other side of the clearing with an unreadable face. Ino frowned a bit at Kakashi; the guy had no tact.

Apparently, Asuma had the same thought as he too frowned at the other Jounin. "That was too harsh, Kakashi. You know what Anko is dealing with right now and I know you know about her history."

The Jounin shrugged. "The fact remains she's being a hindrance. Even more than the Genin you brought along. This is not a field trip, this is a mission to save the life of my nephew," Kakashi fired back with a bit of anger creeping into his tone. "I won't have him die because someone's hormones are screwed up!"

"Enough!" Asuma ordered. For just an instant, Kakashi was about to turn his anger full-force on Asuma for ordering him around but that was quashed ruthlessly when Kakashi really looked into the man's eyes. What he saw made him instantly sober into something akin to fear.

Asuma sighed and lit one of his cigarettes. "Don't blame Anko for things she can not control. You know better than anyone what she went through and what she's struggling with now. I agree that she was acting irrational, but-"

Kakashi held up his hands in defeat. "No, you're right," the Jounin agreed with a tired sigh. "Still, she's going to have to control herself if we're going to catch up with Naruto."

"Well, not everyone can be a calm as you," Ino stated in Anko's defense. The two men looked over at her as if they had forgotten she was present. "I mean, Naruto's practically her nephew too so of course she'd be worried!"

Kakashi gave the young girl a bland look. "Right...nephew," he mumbled under his breath.

Before Ino could reprimand the man any further, Orochi called for the group from the other side of the clearing. Kakashi, Asuma, and Ino all rushed over to the snake, who was still henged, as he scowled at a point in the forest.

"What is it?" Asuma asked.

"They went this way," the serpent pointed at the section of forest in front of him. "I can taste a few other trails, though. It looks like the Kumo-nin are trailing whoever it is."

Ino, Anko, and even Kakashi looked puzzled by this but Asuma groaned. "They're following one of our patrols. How the hell did they know where they were?" he asked himself more than his companions.

Anko's eyes narrowed. "They're getting the information from someone inside of Leaf. It has to be someone in the Hokage Tower because no one outside of the Hokage and administrative nins know the patrol routes," she said even as she regarded Asuma with a bit of suspicion.

The other Jounin didn't seem at all concerned with it, however, and he merely walked off towards the forest. "We need to get moving. The patrol came through around three hours ago if they were on schedule so that means we're catching up. If they make it to Kumo, however, we'll have a much tougher job ahead of us." The man stopped for a moment as an idea flashed through his mind. If he was wrong, he would be wasting valuable time but if he were correct...

"Kakashi," Asuma said quickly. "You take the rest and tail the group. I have a hunch I'm going to look into," the Jounin stated before jumping off into the forest to the north.

Ino, Kakashi, Orochi, and Anko stared after him in wonder. The Special Jounin was the first to recover from the abrupt departure. "What the hell is he thinking?" she asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "He has an idea, it seems. Doesn't concern us since he wasn't originally part of the mission," the Jounin replied, although he hoped it worked out like the Sarutobi clansman hopped. "Get back into rank and we'll follow the patrol," he ordered.

With a few more curious looks between Anko and Ino, the rest of the group fell back into their former search ranks, minus Asuma. Within moments, the clearing was empty again except for a strange looking plant that had burrowed its way up through the ground. If one were to look at this plant closer, they would most assuredly say it looked like a large Venus Flytrap...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Is the kid still out?" Fujin asked as the pair stopped for a short break.

They had split from the Konoha patrol a few hours after they broke camp and were now about to cross over into the Land of Rice. Naruto, who Raijin had found was much more tolerable unconscious, was slung over the man's back.

Still, the large shinobi laid the boy down and gave him a quick look-over before answering his partner. "Yeah, he's out of it."

Fujin rested against the trunk of the large tree they were standing on. "This mission has been strangely simple. If Konoha is so weak as to let one of their most prized bloodlines be stolen with no incident then maybe you should recommend we invade again," the tall man suggested.

Raijin took a deep breath as he considered this. "Well, it's true this went well considering the last time we tried to take a bloodline from them, but I wouldn't count out that old man Hokage just yet." The man reached into his jacket and pulled out a small ration bar to chew on. "I bet you anything that he's already figured out it was foul play; he just doesn't know which village it was. That's the best thing we have going for us."

"Yes, but like you said..." Fujin adjusted his glasses enough that the sun reflected off of them in a very malevolent way, "...he is an old man. Soon he'll be dead and then where will Konoha be? The son of the White Fang is there but the Sannin are gone. Konoha is a paper tiger right now, that's why they pushed for peace with Suna."

The burly Raijin nodded in agreement as he finished off his energy bar. Lifting Naruto back onto his shoulder, he motioned for them to leave. "I didn't say Konoha would be a problem for an invasion force, I said they could be a problem for us if we just sit here. Focus on getting back to Kumo and avoiding that old snake in Oto. When we get back to the Citadel **_then _**we'll talk about war." With that, Raijin was launching himself forward into the next tree.

Fujin nodded and leapt off after his leader with a snicker. "At least the feared Sharingan wasn't in very good hands. They sent both of us in case this kid turned out to be more than a Jounin could handle. What a pathetic waste of resources." He sighed and Raijin was inclined enough to chuckle.

What neither Jounin saw was Naruto's hand clench up enough to draw blood from his palm. The red liquid fell to the ground in drops but most of it pooled in Naruto's hand.

Raijin was still chuckling a bit when Naruto's knee drove itself into his face. The Jounin was completely caught off-guard by the sudden onslaught and dropped his human cargo. Naruto spun in the air and landed a few trees away. He was weaponless, lost, and disoriented, but he was free.

"Kid...that was a very dumb thing you just did," Raijin informed the Genin as he felt at his nose. With nothing more than a small grimace, he snapped it back into place.

Fujin stopped beside his partner and shot him a disapproving scowl. "I thought you said he was out?"

"Ha, like I wouldn't know how to fake being unconscious." Naruto snorted. "Like you said, I'm the grandson of a Hokage."

The auburn-haired Kumo-nin laughed at Naruto's words. "You've got me there, kid. My own stupidity, what will the guys back home say about me getting decked by a Genin?"

Fujin chose to ignore Raijin's nonchalance rather than feed into it. "You have to know you can't beat us, it would be a waste of time to try," the wind manipulator coolly stated. "It would just lead to us doing far more damage to you than we had intended. Don't forget, we only need your eyes. Everything else is just window dressing. Don't be a fool."

"Me be a fool? You're the ones willing to risk starting another war just for a bloodline!" Naruto fired back. "And you think you can take Konoha? If you think you can beat my Grandfather, then why don't you go back and try it?" Naruto suggested.

Raijin, who had been silent up until now, finally drew the attention of both shinobi back to him as he sighed. "You heard all of that, huh? Now you really don't have a chance, kid. I was going to push for letting you live out your life inside of Kumo like a normal blind kid, but now you've just become privy to some serious information. Fujin, kill him."

Both Fujin and Naruto gaped at the older man. "Kill him?" Fujin parroted. "Don't we need him alive for a transplant?" he asked.

"Like you said, we only need his eyes intact. A corpse works just as well as a living person," Raijin stated in a cold tone. To drive the point home, he said, "Or do you want the council to find out we were so loose with our tongues? A demotion would be the least of our worries."

Realization dawned on the younger shinobi and he smirked. "Just make sure his eyes aren't damaged, right? I think I can do that."

Naruto didn't like the way this was going, not one bit. He had only meant to buy some time until Orochi could bring help, but instead of simply leading the pair around Fire Country he now had to fight for his life just because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. Perfect.

Fujin decided that he had waited long enough to draw the blond brat's blood. Drawing on his own kekkei genkai, the pale Jounin started to mold the air around him with his chakra.

_**"Kaze Hoippu!"**_

The so-called wind whip lanced out of Fujin's hand like a living current of malevolent air. Naruto could only hear the rustling of the leaves around him as the invisible cord of chakra arched through the air. The Genin dodged as best he could but trying to avoid this jutsu was like trying to avoid air itself. Naruto gave a raspy last breath as the wind whip painfully constricted around his neck. If he didn't do something quickly, he would be suffocated.

With his final breath of air, Naruto placed all his hopes on a long shot. **_"S-Seneijashu!"_**

The shadow summons lanced out of Naruto's coat sleeves like multiple homing missiles. Fujin, clearly surprised at the sudden attack, was forced to release his jutsu and dodge the snakes as he was in no mood to get poisoned.

Naruto fell to his knees as he took in wonderful oxygen yet again. "H-heh...you can't hold that jutsu when you're moving, huh?" he asked as he finally got to his feet.

Fujin scowled at the snakes that were retracting back into his opponent's coat. "You know some strange jutsu," he stated, ignoring Naruto's critique of his own kekkei genkai. "Why didn't you use that back when we first captured you?"

"Not enough room," Naruto answered without hesitation. "You're unlucky, most of my jutsu work better when I have room to maneuver," he said as he started doing a string of hand seals.

"_**Raiton: Atsuen****Ikazuchi no Jutsu!" ** _

Naruto barely had time to dodge the bolt of lightning that suddenly shot towards him. The tree he was standing on exploded in a shower of splinters that cut through his clothes and sliced up his arms and legs.

Fujin raised an eyebrow at his partner's attack. "I thought you said I could take care of this?" he asked.

Raijin didn't bother with a response and busied himself with scowling at the groan that came from the thick branch his target had fallen into.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Naruto yelled as he pulled himself up from the leaf litter he had taken cover in.

The Jounin snorted. "You are not a shinobi," he stated. When he saw Naruto's eyes start to burn with hatred, he waved his finger at the boy. "No, no, no. See? You say me attacking you isn't fair and you're even getting mad at me for it. This isn't a game, kid. You foolishly gave away the small advantage you might have had by telling us what your specialty is. Do you really think I'd let you charge up a jutsu now that I know that you use area of effect attacks? Don't be so dense!"

Naruto couldn't believe that he was so insignificant in the eyes of these Jounin. "Yeah, I might be dense but I'm still twice the ninja you are! If you don't even know what I'm talking about then you must really need my eyes because you're blind."

Raijin took a closer look at the boy and laughed. "I don't know what you're getting at, kid. You look perfectly fine...to..." 'Where's the splinters from the tree?' he asked himself. The reality of the situation came crashing down on him like a waterfall.

"Damn it! It's a bunshin!" the Kumo-nin yelled as he sent a kunai sailing through the laughing clone's forehead. As Raijin had expected, it exploded into a shower of water. "Mizu Bunshin...the kid used the dew in the trees to make a complete clone. I really screwed up this time." He had to laugh at the situation: moments after he had called the kid a fake shinobi he himself had fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the book.

Fujin, however, didn't see anything funny about this turn of events. "We have to follow him! If he gets back to Konoha there will be serious problems!"

"Calm down!" Raijin snapped. "I'm willing to bet the kid hasn't been this far out before since the old Hokage would want to keep him on a short leash. Come on, we'll head him off."

The two Kumo-nin darted off into the woods oddly following the same path they were headed on earlier. Raijin smiled to himself, that kid would probably do just as he thought, he only hopped that they reached him before the master of the land did. After all, even dying was preferable to being caught by that sleeping snake in Oto.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Naruto hoped the bunshin he left behind had done its job. As long as it slowed those two up for just a bit he might be able to make it to Otogakure and get some help. It was true that Oto and Konoha didn't have much in the way of a relationship, but surely they were better than Kumo.

At least the going was easy for him. The thick forests of Fire Country made for simple traveling for shinobi experienced with tree climbing. Judging by the sun, Naruto figured he had been missing from Konoha for at least ten or so hours; enough time for the Hokage to put some sort of team together.

_'If the old man figured out what really happened, that is,'_ Naruto reminded himself. Raijin and Fujin seemed very confident in their ability to fool ANBU from the small bits he had overheard the night before. Still, even if they didn't figure out he had been kidnapped they would know he was missing. That would entail sending out inquiries to nearby villages; when one showed up in Oto he would just go back with them. Not the most foolproof plan, but it was the best he could come up with. His captors would undoubtedly search the way back to Konoha first, giving him much-needed time to get well into Oto.

Several miles up ahead of him, another group of young people were having problems of their own. Not life or death problems, oh no, it was something far more serious to people their age. Boredom.

"Can we get the hell out of here yet?" a tomboyish redhead asked as she replaced yet another proximity trap. "These damn things don't need to be replaced every other day."

The person she was talking too shook his head. The motion caused his ponytail to flail about and almost hit another member of their team in the face. "No, we can't. You know as well as I do that we're the only available team to patrol today, everyone else is out training for the invasion."

The teen standing behind the ponytailed boy snickered at the girl's attitude. "What's the rush? It's not like you have a social life or anything, Tayuya."

"Go screw yourself, Sakon," Tayuya shot back. "At least I don't cross-dress on the weekends with my little brother. Do the johns have to pay extra for him?"

"Enough!" the ponytailed boy cried out before one of his teammates could kill the other. "The sooner we get this finished with the sooner we can all get on with our day, got it?" he ordered.

Sakon turned back to the other boy. "Since when are you the leader, Kidoumaru? I don't remember that being discussed anywhere," the older boy snapped.

Tayuya rolled her eyes at the new fit of bickering. Kidoumaru scolds her about it and there he goes getting caught up with the drag queen himself, real mature. "I'm going to go actually patrol something, you guys do whatever the hell you want," she called out.

No one seemed to pay her any attention as Sakon and Kidoumaru were about to come to blows while the last member of their team, Jiroubou, was trying to play peacemaker. He acted more like a woman than she herself did, Tayuya mused as she walked off.

The redhead took her time leaping around the rocky terrain on Oto's shared border with Konoha. Compared to the rest of Oto, which was rather flat and barren, being able to transverse the small mountain range was a bit of a treat. There were even two crazy statues around here that were made decades ago. Something about the First Hokage of Konoha and his friend. It wasn't important to Tayuya, not like Konoha would be around much longer anyway.

Finally making it up to the top of the Fist Hokage's stone head, Tayuya sat down to take a break. The sun was out, the birds were singing, there was a weird blonde kid running out of the woods below her, the waterfall was producing such a comforting sound, and the breeze was...blond kid?

"What the hell?" Tayuya said to herself as she jumped to her feet. Her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, it seemed, as there was indeed a kid around her age dressed in green camo-print pants and a vest was just running out of the thick forest on Konoha's side of the Valley. From her vantage point, she watched as he scouted around and, after he seemed to think he was alone, walked over to the river below to get a drink of water.

_'Too bad for him I'm here,'_ the redheaded Oto-nin thought to herself. Here was someone that seemed to have a little bit of training snooping around the border of Oto; a perfect excuse to let off a little steam. With the promise of at least an interesting fight in mind, Tayuya lifted a small wooden flute to her lips and started playing...

Naruto finally allowed himself a small respite at the border of Oto. He had been traveling for the better part of the morning without any sign of his would-be captors and the boy decided he was due a small break. With the statue of the First Hokage looming over him, he couldn't help but shiver at the name of the place he was in. The Valley of the End.

"Huh, won't be my end," Naruto stated defiantly to himself. After getting being kidnapped, interrogated, threatened, chased, and driven out of his own country by his pursuers, the blond wondered if there was anything else that could happen to him.

When he watched the ground around him snake up and grasp his neck, Naruto knew he had just thought the magic words.

_'Genjutsu!'_ Naruto's mind screamed at him and immediately his Sharingan flared to life. From his initial assessment, the Konoha Genin could tell that whoever was using this jutsu knew exactly what they were doing. It wasn't very high-level, only a containment skill, but it was executed flawlessly. However, unfortunately for whoever was using the jutsu, Naruto was her worst opponent as his eyes saw right through the attack.

The boy traced the chakra trail from his own chakra coils and followed it up the side of the First Hokage statue with his eyes. There, standing at the top like a red beacon, was his attacker.

From her vantage point high above, Tayuya frowned. Her target, who was supposed to be thinking he was being strangled, was instead staring right at her as if nothing was wrong. She knew that the long period of no missions ordered by Orochimaru in preparation for the invasion had made her somewhat rusty, but it shouldn't be this profound.

"What the hell?" She asked no one in particular. Oh well, she would just have to try something a bit stronger. With that, she began a new song and didn't use her chakra to dull the sound of her playing. The rapid tempo of the **_Mugen'onsa _**floated down towards the unsuspecting Naruto.

Naruto's eyes widened as a much thicker tendril of Chakra came at him. It's wavy pattern shot through the air as fast as sound and, as it turned out, that was the Chakra's conduit. Naruto heard the music and would have found it beautiful if it hadn't have been for the alarming situation he found himself in. The level of Genjutsu this girl, he caught a glimpse of her hair when he saw her, was using far exceeded anything Kakashi had taught him. Gai, who focused more on Taijutsu and weapons, was never one to go over it very much either, so Naruto found himself at a disadvantage. Although he _knew _he was in an illusion, even though he could _see _the chakra around him, the jutsu held firm even with his Sharingan illuminating it.

Wires held the unfortunate Genin up off the ground while the bones below him started to hiss and melt. _'Acid,'_ Naruto thought with rising panic. Caught under the spell of the Genjutsu, Naruto thrashed about trying to free himself from the wires even as the acid below him started to eat away at his sandals.

Naruto began to scream as the imaginary acid started on his feet. The Genjutsu was real enough to trick the boy's brain into thinking that there was real pain, much to Tayuya's delight. The redhead smirked as much as she was able while she played; a person screaming in pain was almost as pleasing to her ears as the deadly music she produced.

When the acid was up to his knees, Naruto's throat was too raw to yell anymore. He endured in silence as he started to feel lightheaded. The pain was becoming too much for his conscious mind to take. On that edge of darkness and torment, something pricked his senses. Something buried so deep in his psyche that he wasn't sure if it was even real or not.

**_'So...you finally found me,' _**a voice boomed in his mind.

Instantly, Naruto found himself in a dark room. The only lighting at all was a row of candles on either side that led up to what looked like a throne at the back. The boy stood on shaky legs and wondered just what had happened.

"Am I...still alive?" Naruto wondered in awe. He looked at his feet to see that they were still there and was happy to find he could move around once again. Now that his mind was somewhat clear, the blond boy kicked himself for falling so completely into a Genjutsu. "She was too good for me..." he lamented as he looked around, trying to see the strange chair at the back of the room.

The Genin could see some sort of figure sitting on the throne, but he couldn't make out more than a single hand gripping the armrest. That hand, as if awoken by Naruto's interest, rose up and motioned for the boy to come nearer.

Naruto, ever wary but really having no better options available, slowly made his way closer to the back. Once he was about halfway to the throne, he stopped. "Who are you?!" the Konoha-nin demanded.

The figure chuckled. It was an evil, malevolent chuckle that could only have came from the very pits of hell, Naruto decided. **_"I am someone who wishes for you to live past this moment in your life," _**came the response to Naruto's inquiry.

The boy mulled this over for a moment. On the one hand, he really, really didn't want to die. Especially not by the hand of some random kunoichi having a bad day. On the other, Naruto wasn't one to just randomly listen to strange delusions.

**_"I am not a delusion,"_** the figure stated as if Naruto had spoken his words as clear as day.

_'He can read my mind!?' _Naruto thought in disbelief. Okay, so he couldn't think, talk, or leave. Just perfect.

The person shrouded by the darkness smiled to himself. This child wasn't as talented as his chosen vessel but with a little work he could still be a very valuable resource. That end result was more than enough incentive for this little visit.

**_"Listen to me child,"_** the creature called out. He was a busy deity and couldn't waste all day listening to this child rant about a thing as piddling as telepathy. **_"You are going to die without my help. That is a fact. I can save you, but you'll owe me a favor. Decide: live or die."_**

Naruto's mental ramblings came to a crashing halt when the ultimatum was given. There really was no decision to be made. While Naruto was still dubious about this phantom's ability to actually help, it was better than rolling over and dying.

Still, the Genin wanted to know one thing. "What favor?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

In the darkness, the being smirked. **_"You will know what it is when I ask. Now, choose!" _**he demanded.

Ever so slowly, Naruto reluctantly nodded. He was between a rock and a hard place, it seemed. After all, this was probably just a hallucination his mind had come up with once he had passed out from the pain of his flesh being melted by the Genjutsu.

The being sitting on the throne merely snapped his fingers. Immediately, Naruto felt a warm sensation coming from his inner coils system. It was chakra, his mind told him. A very pure, powerful, form of chakra. He could feel it moving through his system until it came to rest behind his eyes.

A sharp pain cut through Naruto's curious mindset and the boy dropped to his knees. As his vision started to blur and he lost consciousness for the second time that day, Naruto watched two twin glowing eyes staring at him from the darkness.

**_"So it is done," _**the voice boomed once Naruto had been returned to his own body. **_"That boy will prove to be very useful in the coming years leading to my resurrection. I'm sure you agree with me, yes?" _**the creature turned in his seat to look at a point behind the throne. There, chained to the very walls of the room, was a glowing fox that looked positively murderous...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Well that one didn't last long," Tayuya grumbled as she hopped down from the Shodi's statue towards her unconscious opponent. "I thought he would at least try and run or something when my first one didn't do anything. I'm too imposing for my own good," the redhead laughed. Still, she briefly wondered why her initial attack didn't so much as phase the obvious Genin. Oh well, she could just ask Orochimaru once she got back to Oto. Now all that was left was to finish him off with a quick throat cut...

Naruto was up before Tayuya got her kunai out. Caught off-guard, the kunoichi could offer no defense as the boy instinctively lashed out at her with his foot. The hit sent her head snapping back with such force that the rest of her body followed her into the air.

Still, she was one of Orochimaru's bodyguards and wasn't helpless for very long. She landed with the grace of a cat and the snarl of a wolf. "Bastard!" she cried out in frustration.

Naruto was too busy trying to get his bearings and didn't press his lucky shot. Something felt different but the boy just couldn't put his finger on it. Still, he was alive and that's all Naruto could have hoped to ask for at the moment.

"I'm here to get some help! I'm not a spy or anything!" he exclaimed after he put a little distance between Tayuya and himself. Even though the girl didn't look like the close-range type, he had been outclassed far too much in their first encounter to take any chances.

Tayuya rubbed the side of her face and ignored the statement. "Dammit! If this leaves a welt that gay freak will never shut up about it," she hissed. "You're going to pay for that, fag!" she yelled at Naruto.

Naruto seemed to realize that this girl wasn't going to listen to reason until she had no choice. Resigning himself to this, he dropped into a loose Taijutsu stance. It would also be a good opportunity to see exactly what kind of power he had after that..._thing_...tampered with him. Naruto didn't even want to think about the implication that whatever that thing was had been real.

The two squared off against each other with the roaring waterfall serving as a fitting backdrop. Tayuya already had her flute out and was gathering chakra for the same attack that had floored her annoying opponent earlier. If that didn't work, she still had hundreds of Genjutsu she could use with the first stage of her cursed seal. The thought that no matter what, she would see the blond's broken body laying at her feet, was more than enough compensation for Sakon taking a few verbal jabs at her face.

"See? I told you he would be here."

Naruto and Tayuya immediately ended their staring contest to turn towards the voices. There, sitting on one of the larger rocks in the valley, was the last person Naruto wanted to see.

Fujin, who was content to lean beside the rock Raijin was laying on, sneered at the two children. "Yes, you were right that he would head towards Oto. Although, it seems he did find some help," he stated, pointing at Tayuya.

The redhead mentally groaned. This was getting far to complicated. All she wanted to do is kick the crap out of this annoying little worm of a Konoha-nin, not fight his entire village. That would come in a few weeks. "What the fuck do you two want? This is between me and this brat!" she yelled, far too annoyed to watch her language. Not that she ever did anyway.

Raijin laughed as he pushed his brown hair out of his eyes. "What we want is that kid dead. If you do that for us, it just saves us some time."

"Like hell I'm going to die!" Naruto yelled back in defiance. He felt something stirring in his head but before he could pin the feeling down, Raijin whistled.

The Kumo Jounin had to laugh at the situation. "Would you look at that, the kid got his second stage Sharingan from all this running around," he said to his partner.

He was loud enough for Tayuya to overhear, however, and the Oto-nin turned on the boy with an incredulous look. "You're a damned Uchiha?!" she yelled in disbelief. No wonder that weak jutsu she had started with didn't work; he could see right through it.

Naruto was even more surprised. This was the power he had gained? His mood was darkened by the fact he had blindly been forced into doing a favor for whatever it was that helped him. This kind of present wouldn't come with a small price tag.

"Raijin! The boy has become dangerous," Fujin stated as he pushed his glasses back up his nose. "We have to deal with him and the girl since she's seen us!"

Tayuya narrowed her eyes at the challenge. "Just try it, trash. I'll rip your fucking spines out."

Naruto, seeing all of his enemies attention on each other, made a break for the tree line in an attempt to elude capture. He knew where he was now; the Valley of the End was a famous landmark. If he hurried, he could make it back to Konoha before nightfall...

The only thing that kept Naruto's head still on his shoulders was his new Sharingan. Instead of cutting through bone and flesh, Fujin's wind whip only cut a very long scar across Naruto's chest.

The Genin staggered back as he had not expected such a fast response. When he looked up, Naruto saw the reason for this.

"Going somewhere, Naruto?" Fujin asked as he stepped out of the very tree line Naruto was headed towards. In disbelief, Naruto looked behind him to where Raijin was sitting in time to see dust settle where Fujin had once been. Just how fast would the Kumo-nin have to be...

Naruto's thoughts were cut short by Fujin charging up yet another wind whip. This time, there was nowhere to go, no trees to hide behind, and no second chances.

Seemingly sensing the same finality, Fujin chuckled. "This is it, your eyes now belong to Kumogakure," the bespectacled man said as he lifted his hand. Naruto could practically feel his neck start to go numb as the situation sunk in. **_"Kaze Hoippu!"_**

_**"Doton: Doryuheki!"**_

The mud wall clashed violently with the kekkei genkai of Fujin. In that time, Naruto found himself lifted up and carried off to the side of the Shodai statue. The Genin watched with silence as his rescuer patted him on the head and walked off towards the other shinobi.

Raijin actually sat up from his rock while Fujin calmly walked around the battered wall of mud. Tayuya, who was now between two Kumo-nin and this newcomer, started to finger her flute with unease.

"That...was an impressive jutsu," Fujin stated in a level tone. Inside, the young Jounin was anything but composed as he seethed at having been denied his revenge for his earlier embarrassment.

Naruto's savior merely looked over at the speaker with a small smile but didn't respond.

Raijin dusted his pants off and hopped down from his rocky perch. "Well, this is complicated," he said while he cracked his knuckles. "You saw through our escape that fast, huh? I would expect nothing less from Sarutobi Asuma. Now...about our business here, what do you make of it?" he asked.

A tense atmosphere settled over the valley when Asuma didn't immediately reply. Tayuya watched the two Kumo-nin but kept most of her attention on Naruto; she still had a score to settle with that kid for landing a lucky hit.

Naruto watched his uncle stare down Raijin. The boy had no doubt that the seasoned Jounin could handle anyone from Kumo, but if Fujin were to attack from behind there could be trouble. Naruto forced himself to stand. He would have to keep the other Jounin busy until Asuma could help.

Asuma's eyes took in each party standing around him. There was a girl who was obviously from Oto if the way she dressed was any indication. Shinobi from that new village were particularly fond of darker colors and eye shadow. The two Kumo-nins were probably going to double-team him and from what he had already seen at least one of them had an advanced bloodline. Then there was Naruto himself. The cut on his chest was more superficial than life threatening, but it was still an injury. At least this little escapade had pushed him into another stage of his Sharingan.

"This business..." Asuma let his cigarette fall from his hands. "Is better off without you," he stated to the Kumo Jounin in front of him as he crushed the still smoldering embers from his cigarette underfoot...

* * *

That's all for this chapter. I'm not answering any plot-related questions so don't even ask. The next chapter will be out whenever I get around to writing it. Look for it! Oh, incase you're wondering about the chapter's title, "Broadway" was the name of the cell row in Alcatraz where the only inmates to ever escape were held.

_**::Jutsu List::**_

_**Kaze Hoippu (Wind Whip)**  
A jutsu only performable by Fuujin as it is made possible by his kekkei genkai and is therefore not able to be copied by the Sharingan. Fuujin draws the air around him into his hand through his chakra and molds it into a long whip that can cut through flesh and bone with ease. _

_**Seneijashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hand)**  
Users of this technique project several snakes from their wrist as they make a punching motion towards their intended target. The snakes often bite and wrap around the given target, potentially inflicting multiple wounds and are even capable of poisoning the victim as well. _

_**Mateki: Mugen'onsa (Demonic Flute: Dream Sound Chain)**  
The recipient will feel like they are tied with numerous wires, restricting their movement. Then, their flesh will begin to melt away from their bones, causing great pain and horror to the person receiving the jutsu. Requires a large amount of chakra to maintain. _

_**Doton: Doryuheki (Earth Release: Earth Style Wall)**  
A Doton Ninjutsu technique where the ninja "vomits" a wave of mud, which shoots out of their mouth and assumes the form of a solid wall in front of them, sturdy enough to dam a river of water. _


	14. Conquistadors

Hello, folks! Wow, I'm getting this one out much faster than last time, huh? Anyway, as I'm sure you've noticed, the fiction is now a M-rating. Mostly this is due to some gore and Tayuya's mouth in this chapter so it's nothing too serious. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy the latest chapter of Black Sheep! I'm really proud of this one since the story is finally moving in the darker direction I've been planning for some time. Hope you like it.

As always, big thanks to the beta of this story, JohnnyG, for his work on making my writing readable. .

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, it would probably be much more dark and angst-y. Hurray for angst!

* * *

Deep in the forests of Konoha, Patrol #32 was just finishing their run on the border of Fire Country. They were about to start making their way back to Konoha when their commander paused mid-leap. With a very subtle motion, he made a small sign to the rest of his troop: they were being followed. The other shinobi didn't make any outward signs of acknowledgement, but their leader knew he got his point across. All that was left was to wait for whomever it was following them to make themselves known...

Orochi was the first to note a change in the patrol's activities. "Human, I can smell the patrol up ahead," the serpent-turned-boy stated in a whisper to Kakashi, "but they are not moving like they were before. Their leader paused her for a few moments." Orochi pointed to the branch he was standing on.

The Jounin narrowed his visible eye. The patrol could have stopped simply because someone dropped something. On the other hand they could have been laying a...

"...trap. Look what I found."

Everyone turned to Anko as she pointed to a small paper talisman which Ino was about to step on. "Blondie was almost blown to bits," the purple-haired woman chuckled.

Ino nearly lost her footing when she looked at what she had almost stepped on. While it wasn't too powerful, the exploding tag would have definitely maimed her. "Th-thanks, Mitarashi-san," Ino stuttered.

The older woman snorted. "If you had triggered it, you would have started yelling about your leg being blown off. I just didn't want our position to be given away," Anko stated, much to Ino's ire.

Kakashi, however, wasn't paying attention. His mind was grinding over the possible paths they could take. They were found out, that much was certain. The patrol was at least a few hundred yards in front of them, seemingly making their rounds so it was obvious that they were waiting on their pursuers to make the first move.

_'Well, why not? Might as well get this over with,'_ the Jounin thought to himself.

Anko and Ino, with the later still glaring at the former, were both surprised when Kakashi suddenly got to his feet and hopped down out of the tree they were hidden in to the forest floor below.

The Jounin knew that if the wrong sort of commander was leading this patrol he could very well die. Kakashi was playing a hunch and he hoped to everything sacred that it worked out. The chance to find Naruto, however, was more than enough motivation to make him this reckless.

After a few tense moments of walking, Kakashi stopped where he believed the patrol to be hiding. The trees were thick in this area and even with his seasoned training the one-eyed Jounin couldn't spot even one of the patrol.

_'Whoever is in charge here knows their stuff,'_ he mused. _'Oh well, time to get this over with.'_

"This is Hatake Kakashi. I know there is a Konoha patrol here and yes, we have been following you for the better part of a day. I need to speak with your commander; it's a matter of great importance to the Hokage," the Jounin called out. Now he would have to wait. If his hunch didn't carry water, then he should be dieing any second now...

A few yards ahead, a tall figure dropped out of the trees. With most of the sunlight blocked, Kakashi couldn't make out much of the man's features.

The figure stepped forward a few feet but avoided any stray rays of light to hide his face. When he was within ten meters of Kakashi, he stopped.

"Do you have any proof that you are who you claim to be?" the man asked.

Kakashi smiled under his mask, this was actually the easy part. In a slow motion, as to not give his audience any cause to be suspicious, the Jounin pulled up his Haiti ate to expose his Sharingan.

The red iris glowed in the dark as the tome focused on the patrol commander. "That good enough," Kakashi asked, "Ibiki?"

"Ibiki?!" came a shout from behind the two men. The larger man winced when the form of his friend, Mitarashi Anko, nearly took off his head with a kunai. It was all in good fun, though, he hoped.

Anko stormed over to the larger man as Ino and Orochi cautiously dropped from their perches. The annoyed Special Jounin angrily waved her arms around and Kakashi would have laughed if their mission wasn't so important.

"I'll get right too it," Kakashi started before Anko could. "Have you seen anything suspicious on this patrol at all?" he asked.

Ibiki reluctantly took his eyes off of the kunai Anko was still holding and tried to come up with something. Finally, he shook his head. "Nothing at all, it's been very quiet. Why do you ask?"

Kakashi cursed under his breath. If someone like Ibiki said nothing happened, then they probably weren't even aware they were being followed. What was more disturbing was that whoever these Kumo-nin were, they were skilled enough to avoid detection by one of the best trackers Konoha had.

"Uzumaki Naruto has been abducted," he said in response to Ibiki's question. "We trailed his abductors until they started to follow your patrol towards the border with Kumo."

Ibiki looked disturbed at that. Someone was following them so long without him knowing? "Wait, Kumo? Someone from Kumo abducted the Hokage's grandson?"

Kakashi ignored the man for the time being as he motioned for his group to huddle. When everyone was listening, the Jounin started making drawings on the forest floor. "Okay, this is where we are," he drew a little outline of the Fire Country, "and this is where the Kumo-nin need to get Naruto to." He drew another outline of the border of Kumo. There were three countries that they could go through to get to Kumo, the rest of the group noticed.

"So, which one did they go through?" Ino asked as she motioned to the three countries.

"Well, they didn't go through here," Kakashi said as he pointed to farthest expanse of the small country above Konoha, "because if they did, Ibiki would have been sure to notice them like he did us. That means they either went through Oto and looped around," he pointed to the center block of land that they had passed to get to where they were, "or we missed them completely and they got on a boat in Takigakure and went that way."

Anko studied the crudely-drawn map and snapped her fingers. "Asuma said he had a hunch, right? Where was that camp this morning?" she asked.

Kakashi blinked and after a second of thinking, he pointed to a spot a few miles south of Oto. Anko grinned and made a line from that point, through Oto, into Kumo. "And Asuma went north into Oto. That means he thought they went straight through Oto and went into Kumo that way!" she exclaimed.

The others looked among themselves then finally at Kakashi. The Jounin scratched his head as he stared at the map. "Well, that's the only other way they could have gone and made it to Kumo quickly," he admitted. "Good work, Anko. Let's backtrack to the border with Oto and follow Asuma."

Ibiki watched the group disappear into multiple blurs as they set out to parts unknown. "Well that was a bit rude. They didn't even say goodbye," he mumbled. Oh well, if it came to that Naruto kid he knew Anko wasn't going to waste time with him. Besides, it wasn't any of his business. He still had to lead a group through the rest of their patrol. There was also the little matter of the laxness of his team to straighten out if they couldn't even tell someone was tailing them for so long. Oh yeah, he would have to be extra tough on them now.

Somewhere up in the treetops, three unfortunate Chuunin shivered for reasons they couldn't comprehend at the time...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Other than the roar of the waterfall it was entirely too quiet at the Valley of the End. There were no birds singing, no frogs croaking, no anything. It was as if nature itself was holding it's breath in anticipation of the fight that was soon to take place.

On the flat plain behind the famous waterfall, five figures stared each other down. The tall, lean form of the Kumo Jounin Raijin stood in stark contrast to the seemingly placid Sarutobi Asuma. Behind them, a young blond Genin dressed in green camouflage warily watched a man in a formal kimono with long hair and glasses.

Further down from the boy, a redheaded girl in a Taoist robe watched the entire scene through narrowed eyes. From the way she was splitting her attention between the blond boy and the man with glasses, it was easy to tell she didn't know who exactly she should be fighting.

Tayuya didn't have much time to be indecisive since Raijin, having never been one for pre-fight dramatics, rushed towards Asuma in a sudden blitz. The Konoha Jounin reciprocated in kind and the two men practically flew at each other like dueling bulls bent on murder.

Naruto looked away from his opponent when he heard Raijin's war cry. This proved too good an opportunity for Fujin to pass up and the Kumo-nin started running through hand seals.

**_"Fuuton: Shinkuu Yokoana no Jutsu!"_**

Naruto felt the tug of the air currents too late to mount any kind of defense. The vacuum tunnel did its job and sucked Naruto towards a large rock jutting up from the ragged terrain.

Tayuya almost winced when Naruto crashed into the stone pillar with enough force to crack it. Almost. _'Not like it wasn't the bastard's own fault for not paying attention,'_ she mentally snickered.

However, now that the blond idiot was out of the fight for a bit, Fujin turned towards the redhead. She was a witness, after all, and there could be no outside parties left alive in this affair. "Miss," he called out, "if you would just come over here for a moment you would save me a bit of time chasing you down."

"You wish, prick!" Tayuya yelled back. Oh well, she needed to relieve some tension anyway and since her original target was already out of the fray this little pretty boy would have to play stand-in.

Fujin watched with a calculated calmness as Tayuya started to play her flute. Seems she would be doing this the hard and messy way. _'Fine with me,'_ the Jounin told himself as he started to gather chakra.

Tayuya selected one of her more disturbing Genjutsu to start with. Since this little fag had no dues ex machina Kekkei Genkai the effect would be much greater. To her immense agitation, however, her opponent didn't seem bothered in the least.

She didn't have long to ponder this strange turn of events because Fujin was already on the attack. Deciding to take a more direct approach to slaughter since Tayuya didn't seem to be much of a threat, the Jounin produced a kunai from his robes and charged towards the shocked Oto-nin.

To his surprise, Tayuya blocked his thrust with her flute. Now that he was closer, Fujin noticed that the instrument was made of metal and looked as if it had been through a fair number of fights. His attention almost lapsed too long, however.

The redhead countered with a strong left hook that made Fujin's arm rattle when he barely blocked it with his free hand. This girl had much more power than he had given her credit for. Her muscles were built up in a way that only experienced combat nin would ever achieve. If Tayuya were just a bit more experienced, Fujin estimated she would have beat him in the first few moments as he had made a grievous mistake by underestimating his opponent.

As it was, the older Jounin managed to tip Tayuya off-balance and retreat backwards several yards before coming to a stop. "Well," he started, "it would seem I'm hunting a tiger instead of a pussycat this time." Fujin sneered at the unconscious form of Naruto.

"Shut the hell up with that shit," Tayuya snapped. The kunoichi was far from being in a good mood. Not only did her Genjutsu not work on this guy for some reason, she had also squandered an opportunity to end this fight quickly if she hadn't been still recovering from the initial outrage that her signature jutsu's were once again ineffective. The back of her neck started to burn as she called upon one of her trump cards. "Doesn't matter if you can block Genjutsu or not, fag! This time you're going to die!"

Fujin's eyebrow raised a fraction when he felt a surge of chakra come from the kunoichi before him. Small black tattoos started to snake around her body as the feeling increased. It wasn't regular chakra, however, but a more malevolent force that was only for one thing; war.

Asuma risked turning away from his opponent for a moment to study the girl. What he saw gave him pause. _'A cursed seal,'_ he deduced. So, Orochimaru was lurking around somewhere nearby. That gave the Jounin no sense of security whatsoever.

Raijin also paused his rush to glance at the redhead. "She had that much in reserve?!" he growled. Just their luck that the blonde brat would run right into one of Oto's elite forces. "I don't have time to play kiddy games with you, Leaf man. I'll end this right now."

Leaping back, the Kumo-nin raised his hands out in front of him to gather chakra. Asuma watched with a calculating eye as sparks started to fly in the air around him. There were even some sparks erupting from the ground itself. _'Obviously some form of Raiton,'_ the Jounin surmised. Unfortunately for the other nin, Asuma had no wish to drag this out into a jutsu pissing match like most of the younger generation liked to do.

"Bad move letting me know what element you'll be using," Asuma stated as he started a set of hand seals. "This is the fate of those that attack the Leaf; that attack my family! **_Futon: Teikiatsu Misairu no Jutsu!" _**

Raijin bared his teeth in annoyance as he literally watched the chakra around the other Jounin lance into the air in long, graceful threads. It would have been almost beautiful had he not realized exactly what was going to happen to him. In the sky above the two, sinister-looking clouds were beginning to gather. Their dark intent was shown full force as a cyclone burst from their depths and descended upon the Kumo Jounin.

Asuma watched with a merciless gaze as Raijin was devoured by the massive tornado. "The Cyclone Missile Skill," Asuma explained out of habit, "is very simple. You do not create the weather, only influence it subtly with your chakra. I hope this loss shows Kumogakure that Konoha is not so weak as to allow the kidnapping of one of its own." With his sentiments said, Asuma turned to walk towards the downed Naruto. He checked the Genin over for any serious injuries and, upon finding none, Asuma restored the boy's consciousness with a bottle of smelling salts pulled from his vest.

"Naruto, can you hear me?" Asuma asked as the boy slowly opened his eyes.

"Ouch...what the hell hit me..." Naruto groaned as Asuma helped him sit up. Once up, the boy proceeded to blink his eyes rapidly to fully bring back their clarity and it was then Asuma noticed something new.

"Hmmm, I was right. That is the second stage of the Sharingan," the Jounin stated, pleased by this turn of events. "That's very good."

Naruto finally took notice of the person standing above him and couldn't help the surprised look that sprang to his face. "Asuma! Why are you out here?" he asked, ignoring the Sharingan comment since he was already aware of his new abilities.

It was Asuma's turn to be caught off guard. The Jounin coughed and mumbled something about being sent on a rescue mission when a rumbling from behind cut him off. With a shocked yelp of surprise, Asuma was hit solidly by a rocky fist that sent him flying into the forest several meters away with enough force that he broke a few trees on the way in. Naruto yelled after him but he too was silenced when the same fist of stone grabbed him by the neck.

"So, that guy thought a little bad weather was enough to get rid of me, _Raijin za Genzonchi_? Not too bright." Naruto managed to force his neck to strain upwards and what he saw made him gasp. Raijin was clad in what looked like a full suit of stone armor complete with face covering. When he breathed, the stone moved with his body, it was as if it were part of his skin. The older man must have seen the disbelief in Naruto's eyes as he laughed, the sound coming out of his stone mask as rough and ragged as his new body. "Surprised? This is my power; my Kekkei Genkai!" he boasted. "I can use the very power of lighting to create a magnetic field around my body and draw in certain minerals. No one has ever beaten my absolute defense," Raijin boldly stated. With the tensing of his hand, Naruto choked and gagged. "And you, you have to die. Sorry, kid. It was fun while it lasted," the man stated with something akin to regret in his voice as he slowly squeezed the life out of Naruto...

_**"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Enma!"**_

Raijin's head whipped around to where he had supposedly sent Asuma to his death. Quicker than either the Jounin or Naruto could see, a long black poll crashed into the Kumo-nin's forehead with a sickening crack. The massive golem was sent sprawling and was forced to relinquish his hold on Naruto. Said Genin coughed and hacked as his lungs again filled with sweet oxygen.

"That's it! Enough with painless, quick, deaths for you people!" Raijin snarled as he rose to his feet. When he saw who was now walking towards him out of the forest, what little of his skin one could see paled. "So...it was you all along," Raijin stated with stunned silence.

Naruto too looked up at his savior only to be left in much the same state as Raijin. "O-Ojiisan!"

Walking from the tree line in his classic black shinobi uniform was the most recognizable icon in the Hidden Village of the Leaf. Sarutobi looked over to his grandson and smiled, pleased that the boy didn't seem too injured from that last attack. "Are you alright?" he asked, still keeping his eyes on Raijin. Enma, in the form of the nyoibo, was resting on his shoulder. "Go help the young lady against the other one, although I don't think she really needs the help. After that, we'll take you back home, alright?"

Naruto nodded at the order and jumped back up to his feet to go help Tayuya. Raijin made a motion to stop the boy, but his outstretched hand was quickly swatted away with a vicious strike from the nyoibo. "As I said before, your business is with me," the old man stated with perfect calm.

The Kumo-nin frowned behind his stone helmet, now he had to fight the Hokage himself. Oh well, from what he had heard this old man didn't even have a special bloodline so he shouldn't be too much of a problem. Probably got the title out of respect for his younger days. "Are you sure you want to do this, old man? Just give me the kid and you don't damage your reputation," explained Raijin in one last attempt at a easy outcome.

Sarutobi smirked. "My reputation? Things as trivial and superficial as that don't matter at all. What I care about, what I value, is the drive and ambition of those I protect," the old man gave a sidelong glance at Naruto retreating form before his smirk turned into a soft smile. "If my reputation would give any of them a single extra day to achieve their dreams and find happiness, I would gladly give it."

Raijin shook his head. "One child over the stability of your village, great Hokage indeed," he laughed. "Fine then. I'll do your village a favor by killing you. Then they can elect someone who knows what the price of a single life is." With all the words between them said, Raijin rushed to the offence. His massive body was surprisingly fast and the aged Hokage had to put some effort into dodging. Raijin sensed this and pressed his attack. When the old man finally blocked a punch with the nyoibo, he struck out with his other hand and grabbed the staff.

"**_Raiton: Denryuu no Jutsu!"_**

Enma yelled in pain as the current flowed through him to get to the Hokage. Unlike his summon, however, the elder Sarutobi gritted his teeth and kept his feet firmly planted to the soil to ground himself.

The bellow of Enma caught Naruto's attention as the Genin ran towards Tayuya and Fujin. He turned on his heels and his reddish eyes widened in shock as he actually watched the chakra converted lighting run through his grandfather. He wanted to do something, anything, but his body was beaten and sore from the abuse he had suffered from Fujin's first attack.

_'Worthless Coward!'_ something inside of him yelled.

Naruto shook his head in response to the voice. _'That's a Jounin, I'm just a Genin! I'll be killed!' _

_'Spineless,'_ the voice sneered back. _'Pathetic. No wonder your parents left you, they knew you would be weak.'_

_'I'm not weak! I'm...I'm the top of my class, people respect what I've done!' _Naruto yelled back into the depths of his mind.

The voice merely laughed at Naruto's declaration. _'Top of your class,' _the voice repeated in a disgusted tone. _'Humans resent you for that, they respect you for action. You deserve no respect, cur. Look how quickly you fled from the battle, a very respectable human, indeed.' _When the boy stayed silent, the voice tried another approach. _'What would that female think if she saw you now. The one with purple hair,'_ asked the voice. _'Would she coddle you like a child and try to shield you from the real world all the while cursing you in her mind for being such a worthless, spineless, cowardly kit or would she just kill you to save herself a future hassle. After all, she must be disgusted by having a child follow her around constantly.'_

Naruto's breathing started to get ragged as the scenario of Anko leaving him for dead played over and over in his mind. It was so real that the Genin could almost hear her words blaming him for being so weak and worthless. Sensing victory, the voice continued with, _'And the other female, the one with blonde hair, she will only see what you really are. What could she have possibly been thinking choosing you as a rival. What could your teammates have possibly seen in you, someone that won't be dependable, independent, always needing direction from others. Just. Like. A. Child.'_

_'Ino, Tenten, Lee, Guy-sensei, Ojiisan, Otooji...' _Naruto heard them all accusing him in his mind. They were looming over him, all mutilated in some way, all saying it was a result of his slack. The most powerful voice, however, was the one not saying anything. The ghostly form of Anko simply stared at him with nothing but disgust in her eyes. _'I-I...I can't let this happen! I-'_ The thud of the Hokage hitting the ground broke Naruto out of his breakdown. The old man's robes were smoking and there were stray patches of burnt flesh visible on his hands. Enma had dispelled from the voltage and now the Third Hokage was weaponless. Something in Naruto finally snapped when Raijin lumbered towards the elderly man with a condescending chuckle...

"So, this is the limit of the Leaf," the giant laughed. "One jutsu and you and your summoned animal are down, how has leaf thrived for so long?" Raijin shook his head in disgust, his own village had been held back by this Hokage during the great war. He raised his rocky hand over the Hokage's head. "I never did like history." He brought the heavy appendage down hard enough to split the ground. Missing the unique crunching sound someone usually ends up on his bad side, the Kumo-nin looked under his fist to confirm his suspicions that the old man had somehow managed to move out of the way. "The old timer couldn't have gotten too fa-"

_**"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"**_

Raijin threw out his arms to catch himself as he was knocked off his feet by the giant ball of fire that had crashed into his back. The flames lapped at his sides as the heat started to transfer deeper and deeper into his suit of stone. He had to get out of the miniature hell his opponent had put him in.

**_"Tatte!"_** The Jounin concentrated his chakra outward from his body and the pieces of his armor pushed back against the fireball as they left his body. The bonds of electricity arched out farther and farther until a wall of stone was erected keeping Raijin out of harm. '_That old man almost got me_,' Raijin bitterly thought.

_**"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Jagoemon!"**_

Raijin cursed as he felt a rumbling under his feet. "A feint!" he cried in mixture of disbelief and annoyance. He was airborne just in time to avoid being bitten by a rather large snake that had burst from the ground where he was standing. Its arrow-shaped head followed his movement before slithering back down into the hole it had created. Raijin quickly caught on to the serpent's game and he took to a more defensible position on top of a large rock. "It'll be a cold day in Suna when I'm ambushed by a slithering pair of boots, old man!" he called out in defiance. However, his opponent was already gone and the fire attack had ceased. Cautiously, Raijin scanned the area only to see an equally-confused Sandaime Hokage doing the exact same thing.

Sarutobi's eyes watched for any sign of movement. He had been saved, not that he had needed it, by someone that looked like his grandson. The only reason he was still doubtful to as to who the boy really was is because of the look the Genin had. It was one of pure, undiluted, bloodlust. '_His blood...the rage of the Uchiha.'_ the Hokage deduced with a start. It was the first time Naruto had displayed the severely psychotic traits of his clan. _'There will be no getting him out of it,' _the old man mentally sighed. _'He will have to calm himself down, I can do nothing for him.'_

Raijin narrowed his eyes at the Hokage. If the old man wasn't attacking, then who was? "He's almost gotten me twice already, must be reinforcements," the Jounin decided. Calling upon his Kekkei Genkai, the Kumo-nin started to re-summon his stone armor in preparation for another assault. However, an added bonus of putting out so much chakra was that anyone with any experience would be able to feel other chakra sources moving through his own field. It was with this ability that the Jounin turned abruptly and slammed his elbow into Naruto's jaw as the Genin tried to ambush him from behind.

Naruto let out a loud grunt as the impact broke a tooth and violently sent him flying into the river feeding the grand waterfall the valley was famous for. Fighting against the current, Naruto managed to pull himself up onto the surface of the water although keeping in one spot while a strong current wanted to pull him was difficult.

"You," snarled the man. "Kid, you don't know when you're beat, do you? What will it take for you to simply roll over and die?!"

The blonde narrowed his eyes in such a way it made Raijin almost take a step back. The boy was releasing a fair amount of killing intent as well. "Your life," the blonde stated in a dark, malevolent tone. His red eyes flashed dangerously as the two tome in each pupil began to spin rapidly. "And I'm going to take it from you myself! **_Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"_**

Ten water clones rose from the crystal-clear current and formed a line adjacent to the real Genin. They all started to run though hand seals as the last piece of Raijin's magnetic stone armor grafted to his skin. The Jounin narrowed his eyes when the Narutos hunched down on all fours and grew fangs and claws. He remembered the Shikyaku no Jutsu from the original abduction and it was the only thing that had caught him off-guard. Not this time, however.

The real Naruto made the first move. Like a pack of wolves, the mizu bunshins ran towards Raijin. The stone golem jumped off his rock and charged the coming wave as well. With his hard shell, the serpent summon would not be able to bite him. One of the clones broke off from the pack and started to run a wide circle around the giant while the rest charged head-on. Raijin's armored hand came at the clones with a surprising swiftness and easily crushed the first clone it hit. The others, however, were not deterred in the least by their comrade's demise and scampered all around the Jounin clawing with chakra-enhanced claws.

The original Naruto, who had set off to hit the Jounin from behind, broke his beast jutsu and rose on two legs. As Raijin's titanic arm drew back to destroy another of his clones Naruto struck. **_"Seneijashu!" _**The summoned snakes lanced out of Naruto's coat sleeve and easily captured the outstretched limb of Raijin. The giant was surprised to feel the new resistance and looked behind him to see Naruto pulling against him with all of his power. The remaining mizu bunshin were also clawing at his feet in order to topple the Jounin.

The Sandaime watched with surprise at the straight-forwardness of his grandson. Never before had Naruto ever directed his mind towards a fight like this. Normally, the boy would simply play with his opponents or over-think things and misuse jutsu. Now Naruto was outmaneuvering a Jounin. Even though the man had used up an incredible amount of chakra, he was still dangerous to a Genin. The very ground shook when Raijin finally fell onto his back. The clones then all grabbed an appendage to keep the man down while Naruto darted towards the Shodai statue. Focusing all of his chakra into his feet, Naruto ran up the titanic stone monument at a shocking speed. Just when the boy reached the top of the statue, he launched himself backwards and gracefully glided over the battlefield. With nothing more than a cold glare, Naruto began the jutsu to end Raijin's life.

_**"Katon: Karyuu Endan!"**_

The doomed Jounin watched helplessly as a massive wall of flames descended upon him as if they were a flaming judgment from hell itself. Even as the mizu bunshins around him instantly evaporated when the white-hot blast touched them, Raijin could only feel amazement and a tiny slither of pride. He had watched this little blond kid go from a weak little brat to this person, this _weapon_, that was capable of such precision and efficiency. As the fires of the Dragon Flame finally touched his stone shell, the Kumo-nin chuckled. _'That kid...what a guy,'_ he thought as his body was literally baked alive inside his stone cocoon.

Sarutobi's lips formed a thin line as he observed the last moments of Raijin. Even though the man was going to die either here or back in Konoha the Hokage didn't want his grandson to be the executioner. The old man watched in silence as Naruto gracefully landed several meters away. Would he be back to normal now or would his bloodlust not be sated yet?

For the first Naruto could remember, his mind felt complete. There was nothing else clouding his thoughts, it was like the edge of a kunai: sharp, accurate, and geared towards conflict. He watched his grandfather stare at him with a slight hint of worry that the Genin didn't understand. What was there to fear now? He had done away with the one who would dare think to take him away from his family. It was then that a stray thought pierced the red haze in Naruto's mind. _'That's right, there was another piece of trash with that one. Of course grandfather would be disappointed that I let my guard down so quickly. I'll deal with that one as well.'_

Almost immediately after a course of action was decided upon. Naruto became aware of the fight taking place on the other side of the river basin. That effeminate Kumo-nin that had dared to touch him before was fighting against what looked to be three giants while the Oto kunoichi played her flute. Naruto noted the strange new tattoos that had appeared on her body but disregarded them out of hand as nothing more than a side effect of some jutsu Tayuya had used in the fight. What he did take note of was the large amount of chakra she was emitting. While impressive, it would not be enough to beat her opponent. Without so much as a second thought, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Fujin dodged another swipe from one of the giants facing him. If he had known this girl had a summoning jutsu, he would have ended the fight much sooner instead of dragging it out. What was even more vexing was that the girl was seemingly very intelligent. Every time he would try and use his Kekkei Genkai the giant with twin shields would block his whip and the other two would close in on him. It would seem he would have to use **_that _**jutsu.

Tayuya smiled as she played her flute. No one had ever beaten the Doki except for Kimimaro and even then he had been forced to use his cursed seal in order to avoid getting his chakra drained. It came as a surprise to her when Fujin suddenly leapt away from their battleground and retreated to a nearby outcropping of stone that jutted up from the dusty landscape.

"Very impressive, girl," Fujin praised, his voice as condescending as if he were addressing a child, "but as impressive as a summoning jutsu is, it falls flat to the power that is a Kekkei Genkai."

The redhead snorted as she lowered her flute from her pale lips. "Talk all the shit you want, fag," she responded. "You're the one that has been running around like a rat for the last few minutes."

Fujin frowned at the smug smirk Tayuya was sporting. This girl was pleased with her success, was she? "Is that a fact? Let's see how you deal with this then."

The air around the Jounin quickly started to gather and Tayuya rose her instrument in preparation to counter another wind whip but that thought was quickly discarded as the wind chakra started to condense into a single point. She was even more disturbed when her hair stated to flail around in a newly created breeze.

"This is the power of a genius, girl," Fujin bragged as he held out his hand. In his palm was a small, swirling ball of chakra. It was no bigger than a marble but amazingly, everything around it started to lose its brightness. Even in broad daylight, all Tayuya could see of the ball was a dark blackness that she had never encountered before. It was unnerving to look upon. "This," Fujin continued, "is the limits of my power. It is nothing and everything at the same time. This is the power I have at my command! Taste the horror that you will find in the abyss! **The terror of Ku!"**

Tayuya's unease turned into something akin to fear as she watched the black orb grow in size. She didn't know what the jutsu would do, but Tayuya knew she didn't want to hang around and find out. She dropped her flute and ran as quickly as her legs would carry her towards the base of the second statue that formed half of the waterfall in the valley. Behind her, the Doki were left directionless without Tayuya's guidance and were quickly sucked into the ever expanding void created by Fujin. Whatever the blackness touched was instantly lost forever; even light itself couldn't escape. The wind was now howling as more and more air was sucked into nothingness and Tayuya could feel the burning in her legs as they protested the amount of chakra being siphoned into them to keep the kunoichi bolted to the ground and continuing onwards. Finally, she made it to the solid rock wall of the statue. Drawing a talisman from her robe, Tayuya slammed the slip of paper onto the stone and prayed it stayed stuck long enough for her jutsu to work.

"**_Shiten Fūin!"_** The seal flared to life as the four-point sealing took effect. Four lines of chakra snaked out from the paper and carved themselves into the stone Tayuya was pressing against. With a flare of her own chakra, the seal came to life and erected a small barrier between her and the ripping winds that would have surely sucked her into absolute nothingness. Around her, rocks were being pulled from the ground as the void ran its course. When the jutsu finally ceased, rocks feel like rain around the enormous, perfectly cylindrical, crater carved out by the void's power. With a pitiful grunt, Tayuya dropped her shield and fell to the ground in a heap as her own cursed seal snaked back into her neck. All of her chakra was depleted and she almost broke a tooth in rage as Fujin loomed over her. "Of all the pathetic ways to die," she mumbled.

Fujin smiled at her words as he pulled out a kunai to end Tayuya's life. It had been a long time since someone forced him to use the Ku in a fight. "Now, don't you wish you would have listened to me at the beginning and simply gave up? You could have spared me so much effort."

Tayuya desperately wanted to work up enough strength to wipe that smirk off Fujin's face but it seemed someone else had the same idea as Fujin was violently removed from where he was standing by a hard right hook. Tayuya strained her eyes up to look at her savior and almost wished she would have died rather than be saved by the person she saw.

Naruto smiled in abject pleasure as he tensed his fist. He had been wanting to rip that smile off Fujin's face for the last two days and it felt good to feel a few of the Jounin's teeth break from the force of his hit. However, he didn't want to play with this man after seeing the kind of destruction Fujin could cause.

"You little bastard!" Fuujin yelled as he spit out a tooth. "Raijin must be getting lax with his work ethic if you're still alive."

Naruto paid the man no attention and went back on the offense immediately. There would be no exchange of wit, no trading jutsu, no back and forth; only blood.

Fujin's frown turned into a growl of pure hate as he summoned his wind whip to cut the impudent brat to pieces. To his growing anger, the youth dodged by a sliver of space and descended upon him like a demon from hell. Fujin tried to put up some form of defense against the Uchiha's precision assault but the combination of Naruto's newly found drive and the Kumo-nin's lack of chakra after his last attack left no room for a surprise come back.

With pitiless efficiency, Naruto broke the meager defenses of Fujin and landed solid hits on the Jounin's abdomen. The long-haired Jounin doubled over only to have his head driven back up by an knee to the face. Tayuya, who had finally gotten back to her feet, caught Naruto's eyes and an unspoken agreement was settled upon: Vengeance. Tayuya moved in conjunction with Naruto as she began an assault against the wounded Jounin. Now against two opponents, Fujin was completely overwhelmed. A shot from Naruto's left fist drove him into the elbow of Tayuya and his jaw broke with a sickening crack. The Oto-nin didn't let up as she savagely kicked the back of Fujin's knee while Naruto worked in consort with the other, driving the man down to his knees. Now that the tables were turned, the Kumo-nin's only thought was disbelief and shock. His mind couldn't take the stress and it broke like most geniuses do when they are bested.

"Youuuu..." Fuujin slurred through his broken jaw, "...thish ishint posshibleee...I am theeh greatesht...I am..."

Tayuya grabbed the man's head and cut off what he was going to say mid-speech. She leaned in close to Fujin's ear but spoke loud enough for Naruto to hear as well. "You are fucking dead," she growled as she drove the shinobi's head backwards and impaled it on a rock that was jutting out from the statue she had taken refuge against earlier. Fujin's body twitched a few times before it simply went silent though still remaining upright due to the method of his death.

Exhausted, the redhead dropped to the ground in a heap. Naruto, now that his own adrenaline was wearing off, dropped beside her. The two said nothing as they gasped and wheezed for air. Farther away, Sarutobi watched them with a stoic face but did not interrupt them. They were now, for better or worse, bonded in a way that only those who have killed and survived together could understand.

Naruto was the first to make any motion other than trying to get air back into his lungs. He turned to look at the girl who had once tried to kill him and felt something stir within himself. Now that his lust for battle was over, his Sharingan deactivated and the red haze filtered out of his thoughts and finally, the boy understood what he had done. "I...I killed someone," he stated in shock. He looked like he could actually vomit at the thought.

Tayuya looked over at Naruto with disgust. "They were going to fucking kill you, what were you supposed to do?" she asked.

"I-I don't know." Naruto admitted. "There had to be some other way, though! I could have bargained with them, I could have-"

Naruto's ranting was brought to an end when Tayuya's fist plowed into his face. The Konoha Genin fell back on his back and looked at his companion with shock etched on his face.

"You dumb, naive bastard!" Tayuya shouted, "You were going to die, you prick! They would have carved out your eyes like something to be fucking harvested! You had an escape, you took it, end of the damn story!" she raved. "Don't you dare regret this, don't you fucking dare! I'll be damned if I teamed up with a peace mongering Leaf fag!"

The two stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Naruto simply rose to his feet. Tayuya gritted her teeth, she hated that this little coward had gotten under her skin like that. Now he was simply going to run away from this and back to his perfect little life back in his damned village and not appreciate the freedom he had. _'That damn bastard...!'_

Tayuya was shocked, then, when Naruto bent down to sling her arm over his shoulder. "Come on, we gotta see if you're hurt." Naruto said. Tayuya wanted to push him away and declare that she didn't need any help but she swallowed her pride and allowed herself to be helped just this once. Her body hurt too much to be difficult.

As Naruto saw his grandfather walking to meet them halfway, he leaned in close to the kunoichi's ear. "Hey, thanks for helping me back there," he said, surprising the girl, "we really kicked some ass, huh?"

Tayuya couldn't help it, she smirked. "Fuck yes we did. That little bitch's head cracked open like a rotten watermelon," she stated simply to get a rise out of her companion. To her annoyance, Naruto didn't take the bait and only smirked back. For some reason, though, she felt her face heating up under his gaze.

"Good work, Naruto," Sarutobi said once his grandson was within earshot. "Looks like you didn't need my help after all."

Naruto chuckled and smiled at Tayuya. "That's not true, you two really saved my butt. Did you see her fight? It was amazing."

"Yes, I saw that," the Hokage stated. There were many things he wanted to ask the girl that was practically draped over his grandson but he refrained. She was a foreign shinobi that had helped with an inter-village matter and such things had to be taken into consideration. "I would like to express my gratitude for what you did for my grandson, Oto-san," Sarutobi said as he didn't know the girl's name.

Tayuya sized the old man up. _'So this is Orochimaru's old sensei? How could this wrinkly guy be that big of a threat?' _she asked herself. Tayuya nodded in acknowledgement of the thanks, silently deciding that there was more to the old man that meets the eye.

"Hokage-sama!"

All three shinobi turned towards the forest as Kakashi, Anko, Ino, and Orochi finally arrived with Pakkun in the lead. Sarutobi groaned, if only they hadn't have seen through his little detour then maybe he could have kept this under wraps. "Kakashi, glad to see you made it."

The Jounin sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he looked at the sheer destruction all around him. "It was that bad, huh?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Anko and Ino, however, weren't paying attention to the damage at all. Their attention was riveted to the object of their search. "Naruto! You little brat, you had me worried!" Anko scolded, choosing to rudely ignore Tayuya in favor of looking the blond Genin over for serious injuries. She whistled when she noticed the full extent of the large gash on his chest. "Wonderful, you got hit that badly? Do you have any talent at all?" she asked sarcastically.

"Aww, it wasn't my fault! The guy I was fighting had this wind thing and it caught me by surprise!" Naruto defended/whined. After the war he had just been through, all Anko worried about was his performance.

Anko smiled at the pout Naruto made and swept the boy up in a hug that surprised the boy and Tayuya who was partially caught in it as well. "I'm glad you're alright, Naruto." Anko said with sincerity. Tayuya, however, chose to ruin the moment for reasons that went beyond her perpetual bad mood.

"Hey, I don't swing that way, hag," the redhead growled as she used her free arm to push Anko away from her and, by proxy, Naruto.

"Don't flatter yourself," Anko frowned, "I have better taste in partners than little children."

Naruto suddenly found himself a bit annoyed. "Hey, she's been through a lot. Cut her a bit of slack," the boy ordered, surprising both Anko and Tayuya. "I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for her."

Ino scowled at Tayuya. "Really? Looks like she's the one dragging you down," Ino mumbled. Naruto didn't catch what she had said, but Tayuya did and the redhead growled. Naruto turned to see who had upset the Oto-nin this time and was surprised to see Ino.

"Ino? What are you doing here?" he asked. The blond kunoichi only turned away with a frown and walked towards Kakashi and the Hokage.

Said two shinobi were quietly mulling over the events that had just played out. "Well, that was a first," Kakashi finally stated. "I've never seen Naruto be so short with Anko before."

Sarutobi nodded. "That's what happens when people go through what those two did together. I would have much rather have had someone like you or Anko, even Ino, be there for Naruto when he made his first kill but the situation dictated otherwise."

"His...first kill?" Kakashi struggled with the words. "You mean, Naruto..." he trailed off as the Hokage pointed to a patch of scorched earth a few yards over where the remains of Raijin were still smoldering. "Kami-sama...was it...?"

"Yes, the Uchiha rage. Seems it skipped a generation with Obito," Sarutobi sighed. "Still, he took care of himself and showed great potential in combat, I think..."

"Where's Asuma-sensei?" Ino called out suddenly. The blond girl had been scanning the area for the chain-smoking Jounin but to no avail. "And why is Hokage-sama here?" she added as an afterthought.

Kakashi snuck a look to the Hokage and the old man shrugged. "Ah, my son. Hopefully he's doing the favor I asked him to do and is back in Konoha watching over things for me," Sarutobi responded.

Ino's brow furrowed in confusion before the meaning hit her. "It was you all along?!" she cried out in disbelief. When the Hokage chuckled and nodded, Ino almost fell over. All of the encouragement, advice, and guidance over the last day had come from someone who she hardly knew? Wasn't the Hokage supposed to be aloof and uncaring? Suddenly, the young Yamanaka had new appreciation and respect for the man standing before her.

"Well, well, well...what do we have here. Looks like an invasion."

Everyone's head whipped upwards to the new voice and Kakashi instantly made out three figures standing on top of the Uchiha Medora statue. The boy who had spoke had a deep tan and a spiky ponytail. The boy beside him was tall and pale with short hair. The smirk he was wearing was an indicator of his nature. The last of the three watched everyone with a hint of suspicion that showed a hidden competence lurking behind his otherwise pudgy exterior.

When Tayuya saw the figures she cursed loudly drawing their attention to her. The pale boy with short hair smiled even wider when he saw the state she was in. "Got your ass kicked and taken prisoner, huh? Nicely done," he mocked.

"Shut the fuck up, fag!" Tayuya shot back. "I was in a hell of a fight while you three were laying around like the lazy bastards you are!"

"Ladies shouldn't talk like that-" the larger boy started but Tayuya cut him off.

"Shove it and get the hell down here to help me get back to the village!" the redhead snapped. Like a scolded puppy, Jiroubou left his spot and practically ran down to follow Tayuya's orders. The other boys were looking on in curiosity that their teammate wasn't a captive.

Naruto looked suspicious but relinquished his grip on the girl. He noticed that Tayuya wasn't nearly as comfortable accepting the other boy's help as she did his. They stared at each other for a moment before Tayuya broke eye contact and turned to leave the group of Konoha-nin. Finally, Naruto called out to her as she and the other Oto-nins were about to leave.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha!" he called out to Tayuya. He saw the disapproving glances coming from Anko and Kakashi for giving out his name so easily but he ignored them. After all, they hadn't been there for him when he needed them.

Tayuya flinched when she heard the blond boy call out his name. She wanted to just leave and forget all this, wanted to get back to her cold little room in Oto and let Kabuto patch her up before he left for Konoha, but despite her better judgment, she turned back to him.

"I'm Hokumon no Tayuya of Otogakure," she said barely loud enough so that Naruto could hear her. When the rest of her team looked at her like she was insane, Tayuya only snarled at them. "What the fuck are you all looking at! Lets get the hell out of here!"

The group of Konoha-nin watched the group disappear over the side of the waterfall to hide which direction they were leaving in. "Well, that was anti-climactic," Kakashi stated in his usual bored tone.

Anko's eyes narrowed, there was something about those four that she couldn't put her finger on. The Hokage noticed her interest but said nothing; it would be better if Anko didn't know that girl had been in contact with Orochimaru at some point. That was another thing to worry about, this Tayuya was obviously very high up on the Oto ladder if she had a full title. If so, that meant that Orochimaru might be working with Oto in some way and they were expected to attend the Chuunin Exams soon...

"Well, I want to go home and get some ramen," Naruto loudly stated making Ino look at him as if he were insane. Anko, Kakashi, and the Hokage, however, could see that it was all bravado on Naruto's part. He was only acting like himself in order to reassure everyone else.

"Uhh...I guess we should be getting back to the village. I have a report to file, anyway," the Hokage mumbled as he pulled out a pipe to smoke; he didn't want to put his grandson on the spot about his little deception and would allow the boy to work it out on his own. Kakashi laughed under his mask and told Pakkun to start leading the group back to Konoha, not thinking too much of Naruto's attitude. He decided it would be best to get Naruto's mind off the fact he had taken a life as he thought that was what was wrong. He made sure, however, to give the two corpses a wide birth so Ino didn't stumble upon them.

Orochi lagged behind the group as they went on their way towards Konoha. He could hear Ino bugging Naruto about his fight but he didn't pay them any attention. Instead, the snake's thoughts were lingering upon the four Oto shinobi. _'I could smell you on them. You must be moving faster than I imagined.' _Orochi thought to himself. _'It would seem that we are finally due for our first meeting in over thirty years..._' he turned towards the land of Oto and smiled a wide, toothy smile, _'...Orochimaru.'  
_

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Well, that's all for the kidnapping arc. It spanned three chapters...wow. Bet you never thought it would end, huh? Next up is a little alone time for two of your favorite characters so expect drama, angst, action, and...Itachi?! Tune in next time for Chapter 14: "Shark Fin Soup and Weasel Stew!" Be seeing you.

_**+++Jutsu List+++**_

_**Futon: Teikiatsu Misairu no Jutsu (Wind Release: Cyclone Missile Skill)**_  
The air above an opponent is laced with the users chakra. Spins and controls the air currents to drop a tornado directly on the targets head. If controlled, it can trap and cause damage to an opponent due to the high winds. If moved, it can send an opponent flying into the air to cause damage on landing.

_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Skill)**_  
Using a contract, seal, and the users blood, allows the user to summon an animal. The type of the animal is determined by the contract used, and the blood is the 'signature'(Which can be on a scroll, tattoo, etc).

_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Skill)**_  
One of the earliest fire jutsu's. The user focuses their chakra into their chest and shoots it at their opponent. Damage can increase with higher chakra usage.

_**Katon: Karyuu Endan (Fire Dragon Flame Blast)**_  
A Katon (flame type) Ninjutsu technique where the ninja inhales deeply, drawing in a full chest of air. They then exhale, producing a very wide stream of flames that approach their target as a huge wall.

_**Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Clone Technique)**_  
This Ninjutsu technique uses water as its base for creating the clones. Each clone is one tenth as powerful as the ninja using it and has a limited range it can move away from its creator. Like the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique), this clone can attack as if it were the ninja them self, and one hit will destroy it.

**_Seneijashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hand)_**  
Users of this technique project several snakes from their wrist as they make a punching motion towards their intended target. The snakes often bite and wrap around the given target, potentially inflicting multiple wounds and are even capable of poisoning the victim as well.

_**Ku (Void)**_  
The ultimate personification of Fujin's Kekkei Genkai. He focuses charka to such a degree that he can create a miniature black hole and use it to suck in all of the matter around the jutsu. Very useful for cleaning up evidence as the degree of suction can be controlled by Fujin.


	15. Innocence

Hello people! This is a timely update, right? I like the time I put into this one. This is also a very heavy chapter. It brushes on a number of subjects and I really like how it meshed together. Getting Anko's attitude down without using her as an emotionless plot device is extremely hard. I mean, damn. I am very glad I wrote Dueling Harmonies before I got to this point in the story so I could get some experience with giving my main characters real emotional problems. Anyway; read, review, and enjoy this new chapter of Black Sheep!

Disclaimer no Jutsu: I don't own Naruto. I do, however, own the Naruto manga. Yup, that's not a lie at all. No-sir-ry. Wait, yes it is...damn.

This most-excellent chapter is brought to you by my proofreader, JohnnyG. He's a real trooper, folks.

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**Chapter 13: Innocence  
**

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The trip back to Konoha didn't result in much conversation between Naruto and his rescuers. The blond was still mulling over what he had done and while Tayuya had beaten some sense into him, Naruto still felt guilty about taking a life. More than that, he was annoyed that no one had helped him other than a relative stranger and his grandfather. Kakashi and Anko couldn't have picked up the pace a bit? If they weren't so slow, he wouldn't have had to kill someone... 

_'There you go again, acting like a coward!'_ Naruto snapped at himself. The voice that had snapped him back to reality during his fight with Raijin hadn't said anything more to him, nor had that shadowy figure asked for a favor and that was beginning to worry the Genin. He was really starting to wonder if he were still sane after all that. Doesn't mean that the words, regardless of where they had come from, weren't dead on.

Anko subtly watched her favorite little Genin as they traveled onwards. She realized what he had to be going through, judging by the condition of the battlefield they had just left. Unlike Ino, she had noticed the two bodies; even she was shocked at the condition they were in. One was driven into the side of a rock wall like a gory picture and the other was literally cooked alive. Knowing that Naruto had been responsible for either one of the kills was not a welcome thought. _'Not even Orochimaru put me through that my first time.'_ Anko sighed to herself. She got even more pensive when she noticed Naruto spacing out as he followed along on autopilot. _'He's brooding about it, this isn't good...' _

The Special Jounin turned a small glare towards Kakashi and the Hokage, the latter of whom was leading the group back to Konoha. Neither of them had tried talking to Naruto that she had witnessed, and they didn't seem to be in a hurry to do so. Probably some idiotic notion that this was something Naruto had to deal with himself. "Idiots," she grumbled under her breath.

Unfortunately, her voice wasn't low enough to prevent Orochi from hearing her. "What was that, female?" he asked in a bored drawl.

"Nothing, boots," she shot back. When the snake-turned-boy looked at her with his slitted eyes she couldn't help the sliver of fear twist down her spine. He looked too much like her own personal demon for her comfort.

"Hardly sounds like nothing if you're calling the Hokage and one of the top Jounin in Konoha idiots," Orochi observed.

Anko's eyes shot open wide, had she mumbled something that she hadn't realized? Her panic must have been noticed as Orochi snorted. "It was obvious who you were talking about since you were glaring at them the entire time," the henged summon said as if he were explaining something trivial to a child.

Deliberately dropping her speed, Anko edged away from the group and towards Orochi. "Okay, but this goes no further than us or I get a nice new belt, got it?" the dark-haired girl hissed. When Orochi shrugged, Anko figured that was as close to an agreement she would get out of the irksome animal and continued with her explanation. "Don't you think the kid is acting a bit weird?" Anko asked.

"Is that all you're worried about?" Orochi scoffed as he concentrated on not falling out of pace with the Special Jounin. He wasn't nearly as used to tree traveling as the rest of the group was. "What do you expect? Naruto was kidnapped," the snake pointed out.

Anko shook her head. "No shit. I mean that he's acting all angsty about killing someone. I've seen people break over crap like that."

Orochi looked over at his summoner. It was true that Naruto was being a bit too quiet but it was nothing he, nor any of his companions other than Anko, seemed to be worried about it. "You're looking too much into things, female," the snake decided.

The older woman wasn't about to leave things like that so she sped up to get parallel with the Hokage himself. Kakashi, who raised an eyebrow at Anko breaking formation, made sure to eavesdrop incase it was something serious.

"Ah, Anko. Is something the matter?" the aged Hokage asked as he noticed Anko closing in on him.

The Special Jounin cast a weary eye back at her fellow travelers and lowered her voice to a near whisper. "Hokage-sama, I'm worried about Naruto," she plainly stated.

The old man quickly snapped his head around in alarm. He sighed in relief once he saw his grandson still following along and in one piece. "What's wrong, Anko-san?" he asked more out of curiosity than fear for the blond.

"Haven't you noticed how distant he's being?" Anko harshly whispered. "You are all ignoring it!"

"It's something he has to deal with himself," the Sandaime replied in a tired tone. "I'm sure you remember the first time you took a life and how jarring it was."

Anko flinched at the unwanted memory. The Hokage noticed his choice of words and regretted them but the damage was already done. To the old man's surprise, though, the Special Jounin didn't back down. "I still think this is something else," Anko insisted.

Seeing the depth of Anko's concern, the Hokage sighed. "Well, what do you have in mind?"

Caught off guard by the sudden indulgence, Anko fumbled for an answer. "Uh...we don't have to get back to the village right away, right? I mean, it's not exactly safe," the purple haired woman finally replied. "That spy is still running around."

The Hokage rubbed his forehead, he could definitely feel a headache setting in. "Again, what do you have in mind?" he asked again.

"Let the kid run around for a bit until you get this thing settled? He doesn't need to live in fear right after something like this," Anko pointed out. "I mean, we can keep the council in the dark too if we call this a vacation. I know you want to do that." Anko could practically feel the old Hokage leaning in her direction.

_'As subtle as a snake.'_ Sarutobi thought with a sigh. "I suppose you're right, but Naruto has injuries that need to be addressed," the elderly man argued.

Anko smiled, she had him now. "Injuries that you can heal. After all, _Professor_, you know just about every jutsu used in Konoha, including medical jutsu, right? You know he'll heal up with or without intervention." When the Hokage's face darkened, the woman reassured him, "Don't worry, I'll get the brat back to you in one piece!" Anko promised. Then, in a quieter voice, she said, "After all, I care just as much as you do about that damned kid. He really needs this right now."

Further behind the Hokage and Anko, Kakashi quietly mulled over the conversation he had just eavesdropped in on. At first the masked Jounin was ready to strangle Anko for even suggesting that they go anywhere but straight back to Konoha. However, the more the female Jounin explained, the more Kakashi had to, grudgingly, admit she had a point. Something had happened to Naruto, something that probably wasn't just going to go away with time. Frequenting Obito's grave every day was proof of what a situation like this could do to someone. There was also the matter of the council to get around. _'The way the Hokage was talking it almost sounds like they know about the Kyuubi,' _Kakashi thought with a frown. The last thing anyone needed was for that little bit of history to come to light.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi called out in his usual lazy drawl, "aren't you and Anko-chan going to ask me about any of this?"

The Special Jounin shot Kakashi a particularly nasty glare at the suffix. "Shut it, bright eyes. The last thing we need right now is you sticking your nose into this," Anko hissed.

"Ah, of course we were," the Hokage answered. "What do you think about Anko-san's proposal?"

"Well..." Kakashi drew out the word just for fun; it was interesting to see Anko try and hold a glare while traveling through a forest, "I suppose Naruto could use a vacation," he finally answered, much to Anko's and the Hokage's surprise.

Anko narrowed her eyes as she maneuvered over a tree limp. "And you're alright with just me and him going? And here I thought you'd be worried to death."

The Jounin shrugged and pulled out his little orange book. "I'm not concerned. Naruto is responsible enough to keep you out of trouble." Kakashi had to put his book back up when he found a kunai jutting through it. "That's a waste of paper, Anko," he deadpanned.

The younger woman only smiled innocently, such an expression certainly not fitting Anko's reputation. The Hokage, fearing Anko wouldn't miss with the next volley, finally spoke back up. "Ahem. I still want to know where you plan on taking him, Anko," the older man stated with some sternness.

With a wave of her hand, Anko dismissed the concern. "Don't worry so much, this is a pupil-student bonding thing. I'm not going to run off with him. Maybe we'll head over to Iwa or something, show the brat how to move around without drawing attention to himself. He's not very stealthy, you know," Anko informed the two men.

"If that's all you're going to do, I suppose..." the Hokage finally relinquished. Before he could finish, Anko had reversed direction and had grabbed Naruto by the scruff of his collar. The blonde yelped and Ino made a move to follow but Sarutobi waved her off. "Don't worry about it, Ino-san," he informed the Genin with a tired smile. "That's just Mitarashi-san being herself. Naruto will be fine..." When he heard Naruto still bickering with Anko, his face fell, "...I think..."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"What the hell are you doing, Hebi-chan!" Naruto yelled as he was being dragged along by his shirt. This wouldn't have been so panic-worthy if not for the fact Anko was dragging him through the forest canopy.

Said woman finally relinquished her hold on Naruto and dropped the Genin stomach-first onto the nearest tree branch. "Whoops, sorry gaki," Anko half-heartedly apologized.

Naruto mumbled something under his breath when he struggled to his feet. "You could try a bit harder to at least look like you're sorry. That smile isn't helping," the Genin grumbled.

"Whatever, it's the thought that counts," Anko shrugged. "I had to get you out of there before someone changed their mind about our little detour," she explained.

"What detour?" Naruto asked with a tiny bit of unease. He really wanted to get home and sleep.

Anko's smile took on a sinister quality as she tossed the blond a small book. "That detour."

Still eyeing the woman with weary caution, Naruto opened the book. "Hoshigaki Kisame, Momochi Zabuza, Sasori of the Red Sand?" Naruto read off, "This is a bingo book, right? What's that have to do with anything?"

The older woman chuckled. "Everything. We're going hunting, kid. Can't let you wallow in self-pity forever, can we?"

"I'm not wallowing!" Naruto shouted back, surprising Anko. "I just want to forget this entire damn thing! I want to go home, to get back to my life! I want-" Before Naruto could finish, the woman's curled fist struck home with a resounding crack. The blond, stunned as he was, fell from the treetops without even trying to right himself. He landed in a heap on the forest floor.

Behind him, Anko dropped to the ground. With a hand trembling with rage, she grabbed the Genin up by the back of his neck and slammed his back into the tree she had knocked him out of. "Listen to me you little piece of trash!" she snarled and Naruto did just that. The look in Anko's eyes was unlike anything he had ever seen. What was even more startling was that her pupils had started to glow a shade brighter, almost like a cat...or a snake. "You go home and bottle this shit up and you'll go insane! It'll eat at you like a rat chewing on a rotting corpse! You listen to me right now or so help me I'll cut every thought your of your thick skull until you can't do anything else but listen!" she threatened. With her lips set in a firm snarl, the purple-haired Special Jounin leaned in closer. "We are not setting foot back in Konoha until I'm convinced this isn't going to break you, got it?" she demanded. All Naruto could do in his position was nod; he was too afraid of the woman before him to do anything else. "Good, now keep that tongue silent or I chop it off. Move!"

Dropping the terrified Genin, Anko headed off in the direction she had originally been going. Without a moments delay, a thoroughly shaken Naruto followed her like a frightened animal. Mentally, Anko strived to calm herself. She had lost control; no if, ands, or buts about it_. 'That brat is just too much, though! He's acting like a crybaby...'_ Anko told herself. Still, the trip had gotten off to a very bad start.

Naruto was of similar mind as he followed Anko through the forest. Although he was quite shocked with the sudden departure from the main group, he was outright afraid of Anko's recent mood swing and the blond was more than a little pissed. He had just gotten back from a practical war and he didn't need this right now. Especially not after he had...killed...those people. For now, he followed along but his mood was rapidly deteriorating with every step he took.

Finally, the pair emerged from the forest near a small village that served as one of many farming communities that fed the mammoth beast that was Konoha. The people were all farmers and laborers, citizens that were unused to seeing actual Konoha shinobi outside of an armed conflict. As such, many of them gave Anko and Naruto a wide berth as the pair casually walked into the main part of the town.

"Okay, listen up," Anko ordered in a low voice. Naruto, still wary of this entire outing, gave her is undivided attention. "First things first, we're going to get that mangled body of yours fixed up before you get an infection or something and keel over. You really wrecked yourself, you know that?"

Naruto blinked at the sudden concern the mistress of snakes was showing him. Wasn't she practically threatening his life just a few hours ago? "Uh...sorry?" Naruto apologized more out of reflex than actual feelings of guilt.

Anko snorted. "Whatever. See that house up there?" Anko pointed to one of the buildings in the distance, "Go up there and get fixed up. The guy in there is one of the better civilian doctors in the area. I'll go buy us some traveling clothes and then we'll go somewhere to decide on our first target," the older woman instructed before she walked away towards another building. Watching her leave, Naruto made a mental note on how well Anko seemed to know the layout of this town. However, once she was gone, the Genin finally took a good look at himself and decided that Anko had a point; they couldn't track anyone worth anything with him as cut up as this. The smell of the dried blood alone could alert even an average ninja of their presence.

"Since when do I care about this thing?" Naruto asked himself out loud when he caught himself actually looking forward to the trip. Smothering the unwanted feelings under the mountain of discomfort he was feeling due to being on the road once again, Naruto walked off towards the building Anko had pointed out earlier. Not bothering to knock, it was a doctor's office after all, the blond simply strolled inside. "Anyone around?" he called out.

The parlor Naruto was standing in was just as plain as the rest of the village. He could see a few pieces of paper hanging on the wall and Naruto recognized them as civilian degrees. Apparently this doctor had some credentials, something that was not common among most non-shinobi doctors.

"Just a minute!" a voice from somewhere deep in the office called out. "Just make yourself comfortable, alright?"

Seeing a single chair resting against the wall, Naruto slumped down into it in an undignified heap. It felt like ages since the last time he was sitting on something as comfortable as this chair. _'Soooo soft...I could just die in this thing,' _Naruto thought with a small smile. '_Stupid Anko-chan dragging me out here,'_ was the last thought the young boy had before he was lulled into the sweet embrace of sleep...

"Achoo!" Anko snuffed and rubbed her nose with a scowl. "Some ungrateful brat is talking about me..." she mumbled to herself as she pulled out her small money pouch to pay for the several articles of clothing she had picked out for Naruto and herself. Just a few dark-colored shirts for Naruto and several tank tops for herself along with two travel backpacks. Simple was best in her opinion. With that out of the way, she headed back towards the doctor office. Once inside she spotted Naruto sleeping but didn't care too much. It was obvious the doctor hadn't gotten to him yet. Still...

"Only one chair. Hmm," The Special Jounin chuckled low in her throat. "Oh well, if the kid is a real shinobi, he should be able to dodge this even in his sleep," she stated to herself as she pulled out Naruto's full travel bag. Using it as a club, she whacked the sleeping boy in the head with a well-aimed swing.

"Ahhh!" Naruto yelled as he fell out of the chair. The battered blond rubbed the back of his head as he looked behind him to see whatever had interrupted his favorite ramen-themed dream only to find a grinning Anko sprawled out on his former perch. "Comfortable, Hebi-chan?" Naruto deadpanned.

Anko was momentarily surprised at the recurrence of Naruto's nickname for her but she was over it in record time. Making a show of stretching out, she grinned even wider. "As soon as I get back to the village, I'm getting one of these chairs," she declared in her usual loud way.

Naruto scoffed and pushed Anko's feet off the arm rest of the large chair so he could gain a foothold in his eventual chair-reclaiming campaign. "Yeah right. Maybe if I don't buy them all first!" the Genin answered back as he pushed against Anko with his bulk, trying to make her either move over or get off the chair.

"Oh yeah?" the woman asked with obvious skepticism. It came out as more of grunt as she pushed Naruto to get her chair back. "I don't see how you can with that crap salary Genin's make." Another push sent Naruto edging closer and closer to the edge.

Naruto put on a grudging smile as he tried to use superior leverage to overcome Anko's new assault. "Then I guess I'll just have to bag a really big bounty, won't I?" he asked as he gave Anko another playful shove. This one sent her falling back to the other side of the chair and left them equal shares.

Anko narrowed her eyes but the smile pulling on her lips gave her away. "Is that right? What can a little kid like you do? I'll be sure to toss you a few scraps, though." Anko broke out into a dramatic laugh complete with a shrillness that rattled the glass windows of the office. Naruto stared at her for a moment before laughing along with her.

"Oh, you should have told me you were out here, Naga! How's Lina?" an old man asked as he stepped out of the back room. "Hey...you're not Naga..." he pointed out after Anko and Naruto stopped playing around due to the audience.

Naruto was the first to compose himself and he shot up from his former snug position with a start. "A-ah, sorry! I, we, didn't mean to make so much noise!" Naruto was still a bit embarrassed from being walked in on but Anko smirked and lazily dangled her feet over the opposite armrest of the chair.

"Dr. Kusanagi, you're looking well for your age," Anko called out to the elderly doctor.

The man, Doctor Kusanagi, adjusted his huge bifocal glasses and chuckled. "Only one girl would be so cruel to this old man," he laughed. "Anko-chan, have you been?"

Anko smirked and dismissed her life with the wave of her hand. "Oh, life has been just peachy. The only hiccup is taking care of this brat," the special Jounin pointed to Naruto. "He can't play nice with his little ninja friends and they beat the crap out of him, you see. We need to get him patched up, Doc."

In the blink of an eye the small doctor was by Naruto's side checking him over. Naruto groaned and twitched as he was poked and prodded by whatever the old man had with him. The large gash on his chest seemed to garner the most attention. "Yes, yes. This will have to be treated. It's not that deep so you won't need stitches, though," Dr. Kusanagi appraised. "Come on back and I'll get you fit as a fiddle."

Naruto looked back to Anko to see what she wanted to do. Catching this action, the purple-haired woman grinned and waved him off. "You heard the man, go on back. You can't have me holding your hand all the time, brat." There was no admonishment in her voice, however, only amusement.

Dutifully, Naruto followed the small doctor into his office/operating room. Out the corner of his eye Naruto could see Anko really stretch out. _'Probably going to go to sleep, the lazy snake.'_

"My my, Anko really cares about you," Dr. Kusanagi suddenly stated as he pulled out some alcohol to disinfect the gash on Naruto's chest. The Genin blinked, not sure if he had heard the old man correctly. Naruto waited on Kusanagi to elaborate for several moments but apparently the statement was just that.

"How do you know that?" Naruto finally asked.

The old man laughed as he poured a bit of the alcohol onto a sterile gauze rag. "That's easy, I've never seen her so relaxed. Take off your shirt please, young man." When Naruto complied, he pressed the purifying rag onto the wound. Naruto let out a loud hiss and the doctor continued with his explanation. "It used to be that she was so nervous whenever she'd come here with someone else. Why, I remember her first visit with that teacher of hers about ten or so years ago. That Sannin, Orochimaru. She was so formal and spooked."

Naruto memorized everything the man was saying; he had never heard about Anko's early life. Especially Orochimaru. He had done some research when he was in the Academy and had found out Orochimaru was one of the most infamous criminals in Konoha's history. "Wait, Anko was Orochimaru's Genin student?!" Naruto yelled, shocked.

The doctor looked up, surprised. "You didn't know that? I suppose she wouldn't tell anyone after he left and all, but they were quite close. In fact, I even suspected..." Kusanagi let his thought drop with a frown. "In any event, I didn't like the man. He was a snake wearing a new man suit, of that I'm sure. Anyway, we're all done here," he stated to Naruto's surprise. The Genin looked himself over to find that most of his minor cuts had been cleaned and bandaged along with the large gash in his chest; he hadn't even felt them.

"Wow, pretty good for someone that doesn't use medical jutsu," Naruto stated in appreciation. The older man simply chuckled at the compliment and walked out to the lobby leaving Naruto to put his clothes back on.

Naruto held up his shirt which was caked with dried blood and full of holes; no way he could wear this again. His pants were in a similar state so he tossed both in the trashcan without a second thought. _'Good thing I wore boxers,' _Naruto thought as he followed the doctor out. Anko was supposed to have gotten him some clothes, after all.

Said special Jounin was talking with doctor Kusanagi but the conversation ended when Naruto entered since Anko was too distracted to continue. If Naruto was a lesser man, he would have run in fear from the look Anko was giving him. It made Naruto feel a bit like a canary in the middle of a snake's den and he actually blushed as Anko leered.

"I didn't know you liked them that young, Anko-chan," the doctor said with a chuckle when he followed the young woman's eyes. Instead of the good-natured laughter the old man had expected, Anko immediately turned paler and set her face into an emotionless mask. She quickly picked up Naruto's pack and tossed it at the uncomfortable Genin.

Naruto managed to catch it before Anko mumbled something about taking too much time to the doctor and leaving the small building. The old man looked pained to see Anko in that state. "There she goes closing up again," he sighed. "Better get ready, young man, you don't want to keep her waiting." With that said, he gave Naruto a pat on the back and shuffled back into his office. The blond boy took his advice and put on his clothes in the lobby before running out after Anko.

"Hebi-chan! Wait up!" Naruto called out. The woman in question looked to be deep in thought about something and didn't immediately acknowledge the boy's presence. When she finally did look up, her face was the same business-like expression she had when she left the doctor's office. "Get a move on brat, we're going back to Konoha before it gets dark." The tone Anko used made it clear she didn't want nor expect any argument. It was a pity that Naruto had been pushed too far for once.

"No," the boy said with as much finality as Anko had managed to muster. The two glared at each other through rapidly narrowing eyes before Naruto continued. "You dragged me all the way out here because you think this would be good for me. What's changed?" he challenged.

Anko almost snarled at him. "I made a..._mistake_," Anko practically forced out. "You're fine, everything's fine. We're leaving, it's what you wanted so stop being a brat about it," she ordered.

Naruto only shook his head. "We spent all this time getting out here and I'm at least going to spend the night in a soft bed. You can go back to the village yourself if you want but I'm going to sleep here."

The silent battle of wills waged onward as Anko was put on the defensive. If she went back to the village without Naruto the Hokage would skin her alive. By the small smirk Naruto was wearing he knew it as well. "Fine!" Anko spat and stomped off towards what Naruto assumed to be the village's Inn. Sure enough, the pair soon came upon a two story building that had a small sign up that said "vacancy" in the window.

Anko was the first in the door as Naruto followed her. It was a small place, the first floor no larger than the doctor's house, but it left enough room for a few tables and a desk. The young man behind the counter smiled at them despite their mutual expressions of incredible annoyance.

"We need two rooms. Both singles," Anko ordered. Naruto was slightly irked that the woman had dictated what kind of room he was going to get but he didn't call her on it.

If the clerk was offended by the rough tone he didn't show it as he rummaged through his guest book. He did look a little reluctant when he opened his mouth to reply, however. "I'm terribly sorry but we don't have two rooms available. You see, a grain supplier just came through recently and he and his men are staying-"

"What do you have then?" Naruto cut him off before he could ramble on further.

The man looked down at his guestbook once again. "We have a double available. There are separate beds," he answered.

"That's fine, we'll take it," Naruto again spoke up before Anko. The Jounin looked particularly pissed when the blond pulled out a few bills to pay the clerk.

That taken care of, the two walked in silence up to their room. As they approached, Anko looked more and more skittish and Naruto was starting to seriously worry. The Genin unlocked the room with the key he had been given and went inside. It was exactly what the clerk had described; two beds, a bath with only a shower, and a small table off to the side that served as a nightstand. There were large bay doors that led out to a small balcony. From there, one could get an excellent view of the town. Since it was dark out, Naruto could see all the lights that lit up the small hamlet.

Anko walked in after the boy and gave the room her own personal look-over before dropping her travel pack beside the bed closest to the window. "You take the bed closest to the door," Anko said with a long-suffering sigh. In the light of the room, Naruto could see her face more clearly and the worried expression she had.

"Anko, wha-" he started.

"Goodnight, Naruto," Anko cut him off before he could finish what he was going to say. The older woman roughly kicked off her boots and slid under the covers of her bed. Naruto could have also sworn she pulled a kunai out before she took off her coat, as well.

_'Fine, be that way.'_ Naruto mentally told the psychotic Jounin. He had heard things about Anko but he never had believed them until now. Maybe being with someone like Orochimaru had done it to her? Either way, he was too upset with her flaky attitude to care at the moment and he too pulled off his shoes to get under the covers. Sleep, it seems, was equally as elusive to the two as a mutual understanding...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"What is our status on the acquisition of the Bijuu?" a shadowy figure asked. Off to his side, several more figures looked on without expression in the dark recesses of the small cave. Two of them, however, had more substance to them than the rest.

In response to the inquiry, one of the figures stepped out from their place. "We are in possession of two Bijuu with confirmed locations on three more. One of them is on the loose so it's hard to track, the other is in Konoha and protected."

"That is not the case." All eyes turned to the figure that spoke. "That particular one is now vulnerable. I believe those two can take him now with little effort."

"It's not time yet, un." This was the voice of yet another member speaking out. "If we take too many we'll draw unwanted attention. Yeah."

The original speaker listened without expression to both arguments before motioning to the two more substantial listeners. "This might bring attention to us but such a chance cannot be missed. You will capture the Kyuubi and we will extract it. Understood?"

With a slight inclination of his head, the order was received and the cave went back to its usual look save for two figures standing in it's depths. The taller of the two leaned back on a stalagmite. "So, we finally get some action! And it's a Konoha-nin as well, it's been ages since I fought one."

The shorter of the two only 'hn'd' in response and started to walk out of the cave. His partner, already used to his quirks, only smiled wider at the prospect of giving his beloved sword some blood. Once they were outside in the night air, the taller man again spoke.

"So, where do we start looking, Itachi-san?"

Uchiha Itachi looked out towards the great forest that made up much of the Land of Fire. "Where there is the Kyuubi, there is chaos. It does not matter if it is sealed, Kisame. We start where there is bloodshed..." Itachi answered as his Sharingan eyes started to spin in madness...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Naruto awoke with a start. He had been riddled with nightmares in the past but this sleep was a hundred times worse. A dreamless, restless sleep that felt like the cold hand of death. It was a feeling the Genin didn't relish. _'I guess I just have a lot on my mind,'_ he thought as he sank back down into his single pillow. His mind replayed Anko's strange behavior over and over again. While he was still dealing with what had transpired during his kidnapping, Naruto was more worried about his companion's sudden shift in attitude. _'I just don't know enough about her,' _he decided.

"Anko," Naruto called out quietly, timidly. His mind ordered him to demand answers but his heart reminded him just who this was.

Silence was all that answered the Genin. Naruto sighed and debated on how wise it would be to simply wake the older women up. It would probably include dodging a few hundred kunai judging from how soundly Anko seemed to be asleep. In fact, it must be very peaceful if she was being this quiet. _'Wait, I can't hear her breathing.'_

As he expected, Naruto turned over towards Anko's bed only to find it empty. The moonlight showed that the covers were hardly crumpled at all; it was as if Anko had only passed through the bed. Suddenly, a shadow moved past the beam of light and Naruto looked for the source. There, on the small balcony, was the source of his current waking thoughts watching the moon with a most pitiable look.

"It's cold out here, isn't it?" Naruto asked through the large glass doors that separated Anko from the room.

The older Jounin didn't even bother to show she noticed the boy and simply stared out at the sea of trees beyond the small town.

Naruto couldn't help but be struck by how beautiful the snake mistress looked in the pale moonlight. The vacant, haunted expression made the overall effect breathtaking. Even so, he set out upon his original mission. "Anko...tell me, explain to me," he implored. Naruto didn't have to say what he was referring to. When the Jounin still didn't answer, the Genin ran a hand through his mop of blond hair in frustration. "Why won't you let me in?" he asked her in a harsh whisper, knowing she couldn't hear him. "...Goodnight, Anko-chan." Naruto said louder as he walked back to his bed.

"...the first time I was here I was amazed by the full moon." Anko said as if she were talking to herself. Immediately, Naruto made his way back over to the glass door but he didn't venture outside lest he break whatever mood had caught the woman. "That was over ten years ago on my first mission. We were heading towards Wave Country."

Anko didn't mention who the other person was but Naruto had an idea. "Orochimaru." It was a statement.

Anko laughed, the sound coming out hollow as she turned to fully regard Naruto for the first time. "Orochimaru. I...used to think I loved him. Maybe I did," she admitted. "I would have done anything, I did do anything, for him. He was my life and I thought I was his." Anko took a deep breath before continuing. "That's why..." she stopped short as she debated with herself. "That's why...I don't trust myself around you. I don't want to be him and taint pure innocence." She turned to fully look at the stunned boy with a sad smile. "You should be free. Free from having to live the life that I led, the life that I still lead. I won't make you captive to a fate you don't deserve. You should have a teacher that cares for you, that won't use you, that isn't an...insane, dead husk of a person that died a decade ago. Break out, Naruto. Open your eyes and break out." Anko turned back to the balcony and the comforting darkness.

For a moment, the only sound was the steady breathing of Naruto and the broken breathing of Anko. Then, there was the sound of a glass door finally being slid open and a sharp intake of breath from the older Jounin as two warm arms circled around her waist. Naruto's breathing became erratic as his body shook with silent sobs. Anko could feel the cold drops of water hitting her bare shoulder. No words were said as there were none that could be uttered. Even when the sun finally hit the two sleeping figures resting on the balcony the next morning, the rays did little more than expose the peaceful expressions of two free, captive, people.

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Hmm, don't have much to say about this chapter. See you next time with the actual "Shark Fin Soup and Weasel Stew" chapter that I promised. Bye. 


	16. The Cold Blossom Blooms

Yeah, wow. I know my profile says that I hate Sakura, but a plot bunny hit me full force today and now she's one of my favorite characters when written well. This chapter is Sakura-centric so if you don't like it, don't read it. It's not the usual Sakura fare, though, so please give it fair shakes.

I can honestly say this is the best and most enjoyable chapter I have ever done in my life and I'm extremely proud of it. I never thought I could write Sakura like this, honestly, and I think I understand her character better because of it. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy this latest chapter of Black Sheep!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor do I make a profit off of it.**

Super fantabuloso! Over 300,000 hits and 1,000 reviews! No way Black Sheep would be this popular if not for my beta, JohnnyG! Give the man a hand, people.

Super Super fantabuloso! Now, thanks to fairydustgems Black Sheep has it's first piece of fan art! Go to my profile to see it, it's really good!

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**Chapter 16: Water Blossom  
**

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"Sakura! You're going to be late for your team meeting!" 

Haruno Sakura, kunoichi of Konoha, quickly finished tying her forehead protector into place atop her head. "Coming, mom!" she called as she raced down the stairs. Grabbing her lunch on the way out, the pink-haired girl was gone before her mother could even wish her goodbye.

As the well-liked Genin ran through the streets on her way to Team Seven's training ground, people would call out their greetings. Of course, being the nice girl she was, Sakura would call back to them and smile. On the inside, however, she was anything but happy.

The same routine day in and day out: get up early, go to meet her team, get ignored by her teacher, try and win Sasuke's affections, go home and sleep so she could repeat it the next day. Once in awhile Kakashi would take a mission and some of the monotony would dissipate for a day, but eventually it would go back to the same rut. It wouldn't be so bad if she had someone to vent on but, despite being liked by the majority of people that knew her, she had no friends.

Sakura wasn't ignorant, she knew why she didn't. It all boiled down to a mistake she had made five years prior during her second year in the academy. A stupid feud over someone as ridiculous as Uchiha Sasuke.

Oh, she still liked the boy a great deal, no doubt about it, but, as her unique position on his team showed her, he was not a pleasant person to be around. His constant digging at Hyuuga Neji, her other teammate, was reaching the point where the two couldn't even spar together without turning it into a vicious grudge match.

Sakura looked around the training area and let out a sigh of relief that she was the only one present. She actually came early so she could do some light exercises without being silently taunted by Neji for being so weak. The first few times the Hyuuga had opened his mouth about her condition Sakura had argued back and the boy had launched into his tirade about the fate of weaker shinobi. Again, she had argued the point at first but eventually she had given up as with each new day Neji became more and more scathing with his insults. Now, Sakura simply trained when no one was around.

Starting with some light stretching, Sakura silently mused on her so-called teacher. Hatake Kakashi, she knew, was that Naruto kid's uncle but she had yet to see him do anything all that great. In fact, besides throwing a few short comments her way, he spent far more time with Neji or Sasuke. While they would get praise and appraisal, she would only get a few minutes at the end of the day, usually suggestions to "train more" or "you're a genjutsu type". Not that Kakashi ever taught her any Genjutsu, anyway.

"Lazy bastard," Sakura hissed as she started running laps around the large training area. A few years ago the Genin would have never used language like that. Well, out loud, anyway. Now, though, she was far too mad at life in general to care. More and more, she felt like her entire existence was merely a stepping-stone for someone else. Sure, chances are she'd make Chuunin one day, perhaps even Jounin, but what else? What would Haruno Sakura be remembered for? Did anyone other than her parents even care about what she did anymore? Her teammates didn't, her old classmates didn't, and for certainty, her "rival" didn't.

Yamanaka Ino. The very name made Sakura practically boil. Years ago they had been inseparable until along came a certain boy named Uchiha Sasuke. When Sakura, as young and stupid as she saw herself back then, heard that Ino had fallen for the person she had an interest in, she had quickly ended the friendship and started their long chain of one-upmanship that was seemingly coming to an end due to recent developments.

Sakura finished her laps and scowled at herself as she fought for air. Of course Ino wouldn't see her as a rival anymore, and no one on her team would take her seriously. "I'm weak," the young girl whispered to herself with hate lacing her voice. Pushing past the burning sensation in her legs, as she did every day, Sakura continued to run.

It was casual, even fun, at first. Every day back in the academy Ino would take a shot at her large forehead and she would respond with a crack about Ino's name. They may have not been friends, but it was comforting, at least to Sakura, to have that kind of companionship even after they had parted ways. Then, everything had changed.

A year before graduation, Ino had started to get special training from Uzumaki Naruto. At first, Sakura didn't care too much about it. After all, it was nothing that great. So Ino could walk up and down walls, big deal. However, it didn't end there. As the months progressed, Ino kept making more and more strides towards being not only the best kunoichi in the class, but even the best ninja overall. By graduation, there were only a handful of male students that could beat her in a fight and the closest any kunoichi came to her was Hyuuga Hinata. Sakura was left completely in the dust.

"Damn you, Ino!" Sakura cursed as she pushed her body to its limits. Sakura's first thoughts on this gap were outrage. She was the smartest person in the class, why would everyone like Ino so much just because she could fight? Fighting wasn't everything. She had honestly thought that the teachers would start to give her more attention once the "Ino-craze" as she called it, died down. How wrong she was. Ino had graduated with honors and word was that Sarutobi Asuma had personally wanted her on his team based on her amazing abilities. Sakura? She was in the leftover column and merely got put with the team that had an extra slot on it.

Exhausted, Sakura slumped down to the ground with a pained heave. The grass felt comfortable under her tired and abused muscles so the Genin allowed herself a break to just enjoy the spring air. A swaying Cosmos flower growing wild on the training ground reminded her of when she first met Ino. Things had been so simple back then. She had just been Ino's friend, one of her only friends, and they were practically connected to one another. Now, there was a rift a mile wide between them and Sakura could not find a bridge strong enough to connect them.

"Damn you, Naruto," Sakura said through clenched teeth. She blamed everything on the strange blond boy that had taken her place as Ino's best friend. If it weren't for him, Ino wouldn't be so unapproachable, so distant. They would still have things in common and, maybe, be on the same team. Even though it would mean sharing Sasuke's non-existent affections, Sakura would happily have Ino on Team Seven if only to be around her once again. The Cosmo flower dancing in the wind mesmerized her with memories of her life before Sasuke, before being a ninja, before Uzumaki Naruto and a lone tear gathered at the edge of her eye.

With a flick of her wrist, Sakura sent a kunai cutting through the flower, forever robbing the world of its beauty. Now, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, Sakura roughly wiped away the tears and stood back up. "I swear, I'll get you to notice me again," Sakura swore to empty sky.

"Notice who?"

Sakura spun around in surprise. There, leaning up against a tree, as if he didn't have a care in the world, was Hatake Kakashi.

"Nothing!" Sakura quickly answered back, dusting herself off. "You're here early, Kakashi-sensei, is something wrong?" the pink-haired Genin asked with a forced smile.

The Jounin raised an eyebrow, obviously suspicious of his student's abrupt change of topics. He was in no mood to call her on it, however. "Ah, up late training," he lied in response to Sakura's question. In fact, he had just gotten back to the village from tracking down his nephew's kidnappers.

The Hokage had ordered him to continue with his regular training schedule so the council would not get suspicious. In fact, everyone on the mission had been sworn to silence by the aged leader and told to act as if Naruto had simply had a last-minute mission with Anko.

Kakashi understood why the Hokage was covering this up so much: if he didn't some in the counsel would use the kidnapping as an excuse to go to war with Hidden Cloud. However, the Jounin did not like taking a mission just as he got back. Speaking of that...

"Where are Sasuke and Neji?" Kakashi asked, looking around.

Sakura wilted as her teacher so quickly overlooked her. "Who knows," she flatly answered before walking over to the far end of the training ground.

A few minutes later, Sasuke showed up looking broodish as ever. He raised a bored eyebrow at Kakashi's presence, but left it at that and deciding to just ignore Sakura.

The pink-haired Genin did the same, as she wasn't in the mood to try and pry a conversation out of the angsting pre-teen at the moment. In fact, she was radiating such a sullen attitude that even Neji, when he showed up, didn't get in his usual pre-training dig.

"Ok, everyone gather around," Kakashi called out with a yawn. When his team was assembled, he continued. "We have a mission today, get your gear ready and meet me at the gate in twenty minutes," he said, surprising the group. They usually had a day's preparation for a mission.

Neji was the first to react to the news. "What kind of mission is it?" he practically demanded.

"C-Class escort mission to Wave Country," Kakashi answered with a drawl. "Anything else?" he asked. When no one spoke up, the lazy Jounin reiterated the time factor of the mission and departed in a swirl of leaves.

Neji and Sasuke sent each other a withering glare before heading back to their respective clan houses in the same manner as their teacher. Sakura, however, had not mastered the Konoha Shunshin and was forced to walk back to her house. She didn't think much of it, however, as she was used to being left behind by everyone else. After all, she was only "the girl" to her sensei and probably not worth spending any amount of time on.

Without so much as a grumble, Sakura started to jog back to her house. Her legs burned and protested this, but she paid them no attention, still lost in a haze of misery and memories. She was so absorbed that she didn't even try to stop her fall when she ran into the back of someone walking out of a street-side shop.

The other girl yelled as she felt something run into her. Sakura fell over on her backside and looked up from the ground. There, standing over here with an annoyed expression, was the one person she both hated and obsessed over.

"Watch were you're going, Sakura!" Ino scolded as she regained her balance. The collision hadn't even knocked her over.

Sakura winced at the sound of her own name coming from Ino's mouth. "Sorry, Ino," she apologized before getting back to her feet.

Ino's gaze softened at the apology and she sighed. "It's no problem, but you've got to be more aware of what you're doing," Ino stated. Seeing that her former classmate was red and out of breath, the long-haired Yamanaka furrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong with you?"

"Uh, mission!" Sakura blurted out, her former fatigue forgotten. This was the most Ino had said to her in weeks and it was enough to lighten Sakura's mood considerably.

The blonde girl let out a long sigh and ran a hand through her long hair. "Well, do your best," Ino said in a sad tone.

Sakura caught on to Ino's mood and frowned slightly. "What's up with you, Ino-buta?" Sakura asked, adding her old name for Ino to provoke a reaction.

Ino, however, didn't even seem to notice the friendly insult. "It's that idiot, Naruto," Ino stated, not noticing how Sakura's face lost its brightness. "That guy, he's such a moron, I don't know why I'm friends with him," Ino stated without any truth behind her words. It was obvious she was still worried about how he was doing.

Sakura, however, was too far gone to notice this. At the moment she was seeing red and mumbled something about being late before she ran from a confused Ino as fast as her legs could carry her.

'_Damn you, Naruto!' _Sakura thought once again as she reached her house. Her mother was surprised her daughter was home so early, but Sakura put on a fake smile and explained that she had a mission that might take some time to finish. The smile was so flimsy that Sakura's mother couldn't even work up the heart to call the girl on it.

"I'm always here for you, Sakura," she told her daughter.

Sakura smiled back sadly and nodded. As she walked out the door, the younger Haruno whispered to herself, "I wish you were the only person I wanted to be there for me, mom..."

At the gate, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Neji were waiting with all of their things packed and ready to go. Beside them, drinking what looked like a bottle of sake, was an old man wearing glasses.

"It's about time you showed up, Haruno," Neji coldly remarked as Sakura ran up to the group. The girl merely looked down with a sad look, not bothering to defend herself.

Kakashi, being the lazy person that he was, didn't scold the girl for being late. Truthfully, he would rather be at home curled up in his bed. "Alright, this is the mission," he stated, gaining everyone's attention. "We are to escort Tazuna-san here to Wave Country so he can build a bridge. We might have to deal with some bandits during the final bit of construction, but it's nothing we can't handle."

Sasuke grunted his agreement while Neji smirked. Behind them, Tazuna looked them over with an approving gaze. "It looks like I have some good bodyguards," he commented. With a scowl, Sakura noticed that she probably wasn't included in that appraisal.

As the group moved out of Konoha, Sakura lagged behind to escape the eyes of her teammates. For a moment, she entertained the idea of getting Sasuke to talk a little but she realized that no one was in the talkative mood. Instead, her thoughts drifted back to her short talk with Ino earlier. The more she thought upon it, the more angry and bitter she became. Now, even when that blond showoff wasn't around, Ino was thinking about him.

Suddenly, Sakura felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked over to the soft face of Tazuna. "You okay, little lady?" he asked in a decidedly fatherly voice.

For a few moments, Sakura was too surprised to respond. "Uh, yeah," she lamely lied. "Just some personal stuff."

The old man didn't press the matter, but he fell in step with the young kunoichi. That simple action lifted Sakura's spirits enough to put thoughts of former friendships and annoying blonds out of her mind for at least a short time.

Then, almost imperceptibly, Kakashi looked backwards at a puddle the group had passed. Sakura only noticed it because she was behind the others. As a result, she too looked at the puddle but saw nothing strange about it. Just as she turned around to ask Kakashi about it, two chains whipped out and wrapped around the Jounin.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura called out in alarm. The Genin already had a kunai out and had shoved Tazuna behind her to protect him. Sasuke and Neji were on high alert and the latter had his Byakugan flaring at full-force.

In an act of pure gore, the chains pulled taunt and eviscerated the stunned Kakashi before the Genin's eyes. Sakura felt like she was about to empty her stomach and only a warning shout from Neji kept her from doing so.

"Look out, idiot!" the Hyuuga yelled out as he charged in an interception course. The shinobi that had killed Kakashi came in low to cut the unsuspecting kunoichi and Tazuna in half with their chain but Neji reached them first.

The pale Genin deftly kicked one of the ninja on the side of his head while Sasuke leapt over both and caught the second between his partner. In a coordinated pincer move, the two geniuses kept their two enemies from supporting one another by occupying them both with a flurry of Taijutsu. Neji's Jyuuken moves incapacitated his opponent's arms in an instant and Sasuke capitalized on that by tossing his enemy. With the chain still binding the pair, the other went with his partner and landed in a heap.

The shinobi that hadn't gotten hit by Neji, now seen as a Kiri-nin by his forehead protector, pressed a button on his clawed arm and the chain snapped free of his incapacitated accomplice.

Sasuke and Neji both took positions in front of Sakura and Tazuna, ready to fight, but the action was unneeded. Faster than anyone could see, the Kiri-nin was stopped dead-run by the strong arm of Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura happily exclaimed. While she might not like the man or his nephew, he was still her teacher and she was glad he was safe.

Sasuke scoffed as he eased himself out of his combat stance. "Kawarimi no Jutsu," he stated. Neji also smirked, amused at how tricky their sensei was.

Even with a mask over his face, the Genin knew the man was smiling. "Sorry about that, I just wanted to see what these two were after, it's odd to see shinobi from Kirigakure this close to Konoha," Kakashi stated as he easily tied the two ninja to a tree. After he was done, he turned back to Tazuna. "We need to talk."

The old man sighed and walked forward, ready for what was coming. When Kakashi pinned him with a reproachful glare, he knew the jig was up.

"These two are Chuunin," the Jounin said. "The mission only called for protection against bandits or thieves. At most, Genin-level ninja. This is beyond our contract."

"I know," Tazuna said in a low voice. "I had to do it, though! Wave doesn't have enough to pay for a higher-class mission," he argued, "We could barely pay for a C-Class."

Neji narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. "Why would anyone hire another village to kill you? You're just a bridge builder."

"Wave is in recession," Tazuna answered. "Everything economical is controlled by the Gatou Corporation. He controls everything on the island: shipping, labor, imports, exports, everything! The only thing that can possibly stop him is the bridge."

Sakura blinked in realization. "And since you're heading up the building team, he wants you dead to stop the project," she deduced.

Kakashi frowned as he absorbed the information. "You have to understand, we aren't prepared for something like this," he argued.

"Oh, it's no problem," Tazuna declared to the surprise of the Konoha-nins. "I'll just go back myself and get horribly mutilated, my grandson will cry a bit and my daughter will hate you all for the rest of her life. No big deal, right?"

The group was looking sufficiently mortified by the thought. Even Mr. Destiny, Neji, was looking sheepish. Finally, Sakura could take no more and she walked up beside the man.

"Come on, we can't just leave him here!" she declared. "You saw those Kiri-nin, they'd kill him before we even got back to the village. Besides, it'll look bad for the village if we quit in the middle of a job!"

"Of course you can talk like that," Neji stated in a haughty voice, his former reservations forgotten, "since you won't have to fight. It'll be the ones actually capable of combat that will have to deal with your decision."

Sasuke looked on with a raised eyebrow as if he was thinking the same thing while Kakashi actually looked annoyed by Neji's words. Sakura, however, was about to back down when she looked up at Tazuna's sullen face.

'_How can I ever get Ino to notice me again if I can't even stand up for myself here?' _Sakura mentally scolded herself. With her mind made up, she turned to Neji with a determined scowl. "What's wrong? Is the big, bad, Hyuuga genius scared of a few ninja?" she scoffed. "I guess real fighting shook you up, maybe you should head back to the village and send Hinata to take your place. I'm sure she could do it."

For a moment, Sakura actually thought she had gone too far as Neji looked ready to physically attack her. Luckily, Kakashi stepped in before that could happen. "Okay, that's enough of that," he stated, looking from Sakura to Neji. "Sakura has a point, if we leave now other potential clients may go elsewhere."

Sakura looked up at the surprised old man with a victorious smirk. Neji grumbled, but dropped the point in favor of stalking off without the group. Sasuke, looking as disinterested as ever, followed along.

Kakashi "hmm'd" to himself before he started walking again. Before he did, though, Sakura tapped his arm and he turned back around.

"Sensei...thanks," she said quickly with a bow.

The Jounin blinked with his visible eye and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, it's no big deal," he modestly responded.

As he walked off, Sakura and Tazuna continued after him. The old man looked as if a burden the size of the Fire Country had been lifted off his shoulders. For the first time since graduation, Sakura felt like she had accomplished something and that was a feeling no amount of taunts from Neji or cold shoulders from Ino could take away from her.

Unbeknown to the entire group, the moment they stepped off the ship in Wave Country they were being watched. The demon that was stalking the bridge builder was not the type of person who took kindly to having his jobs screwed up by a pair of Genin.

It was Kakashi that first felt alarm. The air pressure had changed slightly and there was only one thing that could do that. "Everyone! Get down!" he yelled as he ducked for cover himself. Neji and Sasuke immediately dropped to their bellies while Sakura pulled Tazuna down with her. She almost didn't make it.

Several strands of pink hair floated in the wake of the massive zanbatou that had almost cleaved their heads clear off their necks as it lodged in a tree. While the Genin gathered their wits, Kakashi was focused upon the figure that had just appeared on the sword's hilt.

"The Demon of the Hidden Mist," Kakashi stated, drawing everyone's attention, "Momochi Zabuza, the second-most wanted man in Kirigakure."

Said missing-nin was wearing a mask of bandages but it was obvious he was smirking underneath them. "Oh? I'm known by Sharingan Kakashi, my reputation must be growing."

Sasuke turned sharply on his teacher at the mention of the Sharingan while Neji narrowed his eyes at Zabuza. He activated his Byakugan and got prepared to charge until Kakashi held out his arm.

"He's on another level completely," Kakashi bluntly stated. Neji snarled and looked to attack anyway until Zabuza's eyes landed on him. The overwhelming malice that the missing-nin was able to project actually made Neji fall backwards.

Zabuza watched the pale-eyed boy with disinterest. "You call yourselves shinobi? It's an insult to that hitai-ate you're wearing," the man stated with a laugh.

Kakashi, however, wasn't amused and pulled up his own forehead protector to reveal a strange, swirling pupil with three marks in it. Sasuke's eyes widened and Sakura wondered exactly what it was.

"Momochi Zabuza, former Jounin of Kiri, you're opponent is me," Kakashi said in a sharp, commanding voice. "You three, guard Tazuna."

Sakura, already in front of the man, held her kunai in a low guard. To her surprise, Zabuza noticed her and laughed. "With a guard like that, you'd do better with a katana or zanbatou," he commented with a chuckle.

Kakashi pulled out a kunai from his pouch and twirled it in his fingers. "If you're finished giving my students combat advice, can we start?" he asked.

Zabuza smirked once again before he, and his sword, disappeared. The Sharingan was instantly focused back on Zabuza as he moved to the nearby lake and stood on its surface as if it were solid ground.

"You can do that with water, too?" Sakura asked in amazement. She knew from watching Ino that shinobi could walk up walls if they adjusted their chakra but this was a new concept to her. As she thought that, a pang of jealousy popped up in her mind but it was quickly stamped out by the severity of the situation.

"**Kirigakure no Jutsu!"**

Sakura, Sasuke, Neji, and Tazuna watched as Zabuza simply disappeared into the thick mist he had summoned. Kakashi was looking around so it was obvious he had lost track of the other Jounin.

Sakura stepped back until she could feel Tazuna behind her. Sasuke and Neji had also retreated closer to her and their client but she was the last line of defense.

"Eight choices..."

All of the Konoha-nins looked around in the murky air for the source of the voice but to no avail; Zabuza was well hidden.

"Liver, lungs, spine, clavicle vein, jugular, brainstem, kidneys, heart...which shall I pick?"

By this point, Sakura wanted to simply fall down in a heap and cry but she remained firm. What would Ino say if she saw her former rival now? Probably make some kind of snide joke and say that it was obvious now why she had been forgotten. _'I'm weak...' _Sakura thought with a snarl that was half sob and half growl. Suddenly, she felt something in the air move and she gripped her kunai tighter.

Less than a second letter, the Demon of the Mist was in the midst of the four-man group and poised to cut through them all with one titanic slash. As he made a taunt at Kakashi during his windup, time slowed down for the pink-haired Genin.

Distantly, almost as if she were detached from her body, Sakura watched Sasuke and Neji start to turn in alarm. She could also see the dust being kicked up by Kakashi's Shunshin no Jutsu, but neither event really registered. With a feral cry of rage and torment, she acted. Her kunai came up from its low position and wedged itself deeply into a surprised Zabuza's ribcage. Kakashi was on him a moment later and cut a more substantial wound into the Kiri-nin.

Before her eyes, the wide-eyed Zabuza dissolved into a puddle of water. Sasuke, Neji, and Tazuna had all leaped away from the fight but Sakura was stuck in place, still shocked by her own actions. The old man risked a lot by scurrying over to the frozen girl and pulling her down as a second Zabuza cut completely through Kakashi. This was also a mizu bunshin, however, and again the Mist Demon felt cold steel.

"It's over," the real Kakashi stated as he pressed the kunai into his opponent's neck.

Oddly, however, Zabuza laughed. "Fool, I'm not that easy!"

Sakura saw the real Zabuza before Kakashi could recover from being tricked. "Sensei, behind you!" she cried, pointing to Zabuza in mid-swing.

Thinking fast, Kakashi dropped to his arms and legs as Zabuza's sword sailed over his head, only claiming a few stray hairs. However, this wasn't about to deter the formidable assassin as Zabuza switched hands when his sword lodged itself into the ground. With a supreme effort of acrobatics, the large Kiri-nin mule-kicked Kakashi square in the chest.

Kakashi aimed for the lake to soften his landing after dropping a few hundred makibishi. Zabuza, undeterred by this, merely leapt over the caltrops faster than any of the Genin could pick up and landed behind the Konoha-nin.

"**Suirou no Jutsu!"**

The helpless Jounin watched in horror as a sphere of water appeared from the lake he was splashing around in, trapping him there. Behind him, Zabuza laughed as if he were stealing candy from a small child.

"You three, get Tazuna out of here!" Kakashi called out from his prison. "This fight was over the second I got caught!"

Zabuza raised a hairless eyebrow at that statement. "What makes you think I'll just let them leave?" he asked before making a one-handed seal. **"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"**

One of Zabuza's water clones rose from the serene lake like a freakish monster from the bowls of hell. Neji and Sasuke each took up position on either side of the clone but to their surprise, the real Zabuza started laughing once again.

"You kids crack me up. Running around playing ninja with your little toys, how pathetic," the missing-nin stated with a smirk. "When I was your age, I had already dyed my hands in blood."

Kakashi looked at the man who had captured him with disgust. "So, Devil Zabuza is real..."

Sakura, only now truly recovering from her earlier bit of heroics, only caught he barest details of how Zabuza had murdered his entire graduation class when he was even younger than they were. Sasuke and Neji, while still spoiling for a fight, were obviously shaken by the revelation. Their sensei, however, had different ideas.

"Why aren't you all running?!" he shouted, "You can't beat him now, run with Tazuna! He's what's important here!"

The Genin all looked back at the old man with grim eyes. He could see that they wanted to fight, that they would rather die than let their pride take that kind of beating, and in some way he could understand it. That was why he swallowed the lump in his throat and said, "Since this is my fault...I'm sorry guys, fight all you want."

The Zabuza clone looked down at the two Genin with contempt. Even when Neji activated his Byakugan the faux-Zabuza only sneered. In a blur of motion, Neji was sent flying back into a nearby tree. A mere moment latter, Sasuke was laid out on the ground.

"What now, little girl?" the clone asked as he approached Sakura and Tazuna.

'_I-I'm going to die!' _Sakura's mind screamed. With each step the water clone took, another memory flashed through Sakura's mind. Times when she would get picked on as a first-year student, times of when she and Ino were friends, the moment she had foolishly ended that friendship, and finally, the moment almost a year ago that she realized Ino was forgetting about her. That last defining point in her life was so gut-wrenching that Sakura snapped out of her stupor and brought her kunai up to bock a very lazy strike by Zabuza's clone. "I can't die here!" she yelled as if she were shouting at fate itself. "I refuse!"

As metal met imitation, Sakura could see the abject shock on the clone's face. By the time the real Zabuza had relayed more orders mentally to his creation, Sakura was in motion. "Keep the clone busy!" she yelled to a recovered Sasuke as she ran past him. The Uchiha amazingly complied and moved to block the clone's path.

Sakura narrowed her eyes with determination as she made for the tallest tree she could see in the nearby forest. _'Concentrate on your chakra flow,' _was her mantra as she focused chakra into her feet and leapt at the tree.

One, two, three, four steps up with no trouble. Sakura almost yelled with the rush of success but she still remembered what she had to do. Pushing her body to go even faster, she ripped up the tree like a ninja possessed until she hit the very top. With a feral cry, she pushed off the flexible tip of the tree and soared over the lake dozens of feet in the air with Kakashi and Zabuza looking on with varying degrees of surprise.

"Sensei, get ready!" Sakura yelled as she pulled a fist-full of kunai and shuriken from her pouch. Kakashi instantly caught on and readied himself as Sakura unleashed a rain of steal on Zabuza. Being immobile, he took several good hits until he was forced to retreat out of the pink-haired girl's range and release Kakashi in the process.

Back on shore, Neji and Sasuke nearly collapsed with fatigue after having fended off Zabuza's clone for as long as they did. Now that Zabuza was distracted, the clone had dispersed.

Back in the air, Sakura let out a haggard breath as she hit the water as dead weight. The amount of chakra she has used was considerable considering how little of it she had in the first place.

"That little bitch!" Zabuza snarled as he ripped several kunai out of his shoulder and back.

Kakashi looked at the limp Sakura and narrowed his eyes at Zabuza. "If she's hurt I'll make you regret it in every way possible," he promised before beginning their fight once again with a vengeance.

Sakura weakly coughed as two pairs of arms pulled her from the choppy water that had been stirred up by the battle between Kakashi and Zabuza.

"Did you know she could do that?" Neji asked his companion once he was sure Sakura was breathing.

Sasuke looked down at the girl with a new respect. It wasn't much, but it was there. "No," he simply answered as he turned his gaze back on the fight.

Kakashi had finally gained the upper hand with the use of the Sharingan. Using the mind tricks that the three tome granted, the Jounin had Zabuza nearly hyperventilating in the middle of the lake.

"You monkey bastard!" Zabuza shouted, obviously distressed. "I'll make it so you can't ever open your mouth again!"

As Zabuza flew through seals, Kakashi mimicked them all perfectly. For a moment at the end, Zabuza paused as if he were staring at the Shinigami himself. That pause was all the Konoha-nin needed.

"**Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!" **

An enormous wall of water grinded out of the lake actually causing the water level to drop. The titanic drill hit the completely defenseless Zabuza and sent him, along with a piece of the forest, flooding out of the lake until he finally hit his back on a tree. For good measure, Kakashi put several kunai in the near-drowned Jounin so he couldn't move.

Sakura, who had regained consciousness when a flood of stray water bowled her and her teammates over, blinked wearily at scene before her. She could see Zabuza ask something and his eyes widened when he got his answer. Before Kakashi could do anything, however, two needles shot through the defeated Kiri-nin's neck like a hot knife through butter.

Neji raced forward to confront the newcomer but Kakashi again waved him off. "He's not our enemy," the tired Jounin said as he pulled down his forehead protector. The Hyuuga prodigy was obviously mad but followed his leader's instructions.

Amazingly, the small hunter-nin heaved both Zabuza and his massive Zanbatou onto his back. "This body has many secrets, it seems. I'll have to go dispose of it." When Kakashi made no motion to stop him, the smaller shinobi disappeared with the body of Zabuza in a swirl of leaves.

Sakura managed to pull herself up so she was leaning against a tree rather than sprawled out in the mud. She could see Neji and Sasuke talking to Kakashi but she wasn't registering any of it, she was feeling so sleepy. When her gray-haired teacher simply fell over unconscious, she smiled lazily. _'That's such a good idea...' _were her last thoughts before she followed Kakashi into a chakra-depleted sleep...

"_Ino-buta!" a young Sakura called out in the hallway of the academy. The girl she was calling out to only gave her the shortest of looks before going back to the conversation she was having with a familiar blond Genin._

_Naruto, however, paused his conversation with Ino to look at the pink-haired girl running up to them. "Friend of yours, Ino?" he asked. _

_The youngest Yamanaka sent a sour look at Sakura before shaking her head. "Not really," she answered Naruto with an annoyed frown before turning back to Sakura. "What do you want, Sakura?" she asked._

_For a moment, the soon-to-be kunoichi blinked at the dull sounding way Ino had said her name. No "forehead girl" only "Sakura." For some reason, it made the contents of her stomach turn to ash. _

"_U-uh, I wanted to know if y-you wanted to spar..." Sakura mumbled, her former enthusiasm forgotten. She was acting more like her six-year-old self than the girl she had matured into over the years. _

_Ino looked at her former friend with a snobbish, if not amused, look. "What would be the point?" she asked, cutting into Sakura harder with her straightforward words more than any insult, "I have to have a challenge to get better! Maybe some other time, Sakura."_

_With that, Ino simply turned back to Naruto, trying to get the boy to have a match with her. Now completely ignored by them, Sakura wandered off. _

_Eventually, the young pre-teen found herself sitting in one of the many training grounds trying in vain to stop crying as she stared at the hundreds of Cosmos flowers that littered the grounds. With all of the pent-up rage she could muster, Sakura started ripping up every flower she could get her hands on until, late into the night, a dirt-covered Haruno returned to her home with vicious, hateful eyes that would only diminish in brightness over the coming months... _

Sakura awoke with a start as she shot up from the futon she was resting on. Covered in sweat and breathing heavily, she clutched at her head and forced the painful memories to retreat back to her subconscious. "I feel like I got hit by a tree," Sakura commented to herself. From the light filtering into the small room she was in, the girl figured it was morning. How long she had been out of it, Sakura didn't know.

Risking trying to stand, Sakura made her way to the bathroom and washed her face to become more alert. Looking down at herself, she fingered at the dried mud on her clothes, thankful that none of her team had tried to dress her. That would have been the ultimate embarrassment.

Faintly, the Genin smelled something particularly good coming from outside her room and the grumbling of her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten in some time.

In the kitchen of the modest dwelling, Tsunami was cooking lunch for the shinobi her father had hired. They ate a lot and were very scary in her opinion. However, she would trust her father as she always had. When she heard footsteps coming down the stairs, she turned around to see the girl they had brought with them shuffling down to the kitchen.

"You're awake now?" Tsunami asked as she motioned to the table.

Sakura smiled slightly as she took a seat and nearly cried tears of happiness when a plate of fish and rice was set down in front of her. "Thunc youh vherry mush," Sakura slurred with her mouth full.

Tsunami laughed as the young girl practically absorbed the food put out for her. "Would you like some more?" she asked as Sakura put the first plate away in record time.

"Yes, please," Sakura answered with an embarrassed blush. She really didn't want to seem like a slob, but she was still very hungry. As her host was fixing the food, Sakura got around to asking a few questions. "Where am I, anyway? How did I get here?"

"This is my father's house," Tsunami responded as she set down another plate of food. "The rest of your group went out to train, I think. You've been out for two days."

Sakura nearly chocked on her food. "Two days?!" she repeated, stunned. That explained why she felt so rested. "Well, where are they training at?" Sakura asked, wondering if they even wanted her around.

Tsunami tilted her head in thought but eventually shrugged. "I have no idea, they left this morning without saying much of anything. Sorry."

"Those guys..." Sakura sighed. She knew it wasn't there fault but they could have left a note or something. "It's fine, I'll just go train by myself, I guess," Sakura said as she finished the last bite of her food.

Now full and rested, Sakura stretched out her legs and started to jog along the wooden planks that made up most of the floating capital of Wave Country. In her mind, the Genin thought out a few exorcises for herself like she always did and headed off towards the wooded area nearby.

The girl didn't know whether to be happy or worried that it no longer bothered her that she was left out of whatever training Kakashi was giving the other members of his team. Although she knew she was missing out, it was still better than getting the cold shoulder and doing nothing.

'_Bastards,' _Sakura mentally hissed as she entered the forest, _'I was the one that saved them from that Zabuza guy!'_

The thought of the fight brought a smile back to Sakura's face. She had learned to use her chakra to stick to things; a skill, as far as she knew, only she could perform in Team Seven excluding Kakashi himself. That small bit of triumph quickly ended when she heard the sounds of people yelling coming from deeper in the woods.

Creeping ever closer, Sakura quietly made her way through the underbrush until she reached the edge of a small clearing. There, to her abject shock, were Sasuke, Neji, and Kakashi. She watched with growing rage as Kakashi directed his two students on how to use their chakra to walk up trees and then even gave them a demonstration.

'_That...that...that...!' _Sakura couldn't even find a word from her extensive vocabulary to describe how she saw her team at the moment. _'So, you teach them the only thing I have over them? 'The Girl' can't do anything better than your two prize students, can she?'_

With a choked snarl, Sakura turned and ran as fast as her legs would carry her away from the scene. In an act reminiscent of her usual routine, Sakura didn't stop for breath until she literally couldn't run any more. She figured she was at least a few miles away from the Wave Capital, perhaps on the other side of the island.

The sun was high in the sky and again Sakura's stomach rumbled but the pink-haired girl ignored it. Right now she was thinking of the best way to get out of the rut her live had become. Her teacher ignored her, she had no friends, and the one person she cared about in life didn't want anything to do with her.

"My life sucks," Sakura finally said, sprawling out on the forest floor. Around her, birds were chirping as if they were trying to overcome the depression practically rolling off of Sakura.

"I'm sure that's not true," a voice said from behind the Genin.

Although she was still tired, Sakura immediately reacted to the sudden intrusion. Her hand caught a kunai from her pouch and she was up and ready to strike with a moment's notice.

Before her, a longhaired girl in a simple kimono stared back at her wild eyes with calm ones. The disarming air around the newcomer instantly put Sakura off her guard but the cautious Genin kept her kunai in her hand.

"Sorry if I startled you," the other girl stated, holding up her hands defensively. "I was just out picking some herbs when I overheard you talking to yourself."

Sakura finally put her kunai away and sighed. "No, it's my fault. I'm a bit on edge," she lied. Strangely, Sakura could almost feel that the other girl didn't buy her excuse and the uncomfortable silence that resulted left both parties stumped as to what they should do.

Finally, the other girl made the first move. "You're a ninja?" she asked, pointing to the forehead protector Sakura was using as a ribbon.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura said quietly. She didn't feel much like a ninja at the moment.

The slightly older girl nodded and went back to picking herbs. Sakura, having had Ino as a teacher in the ways of botany, quickly spotted what types the girl was looking for and started gathering with her.

"Muscle relaxants, right?" Sakura asked as she held out a few small plants. "I can help with collecting them."

"You're very well-learned to know what kinds of plants I'm looking for," the strange girl said as she put the offered plants into her basket.

Sakura beamed at the praise. It wasn't often anyone said anything good about her skills and she felt herself becoming comfortable around the other girl. "I was top of my class at botany," she boasted.

The kimono-wearing girl smiled. "That's very impressive, is that why you became a ninja? To learn about plants?" she asked, still picking herbs.

The question caught Sakura off-guard. It was an odd question, but one Sakura could understand. Wave didn't have a Hidden Village, after all. "No, I became a ninja because my parents wanted me to," Sakura said with a hint of bitterness.

Obviously, her companion caught onto it. "But you don't want to be one?" she asked.

"No, I do, but...I just don't have a purpose for doing it anymore," Sakura admitted. "I used to, but that person doesn't even acknowledge me anymore..."

The other girl seemed genuinely surprised. "You have a special person you want to protect?" she asked, sounding oddly enthralled with the idea.

Sakura, however, sighed deeply. "No, nothing like that. I just want her to notice me again. To just be around me, to consider me something other than someone not worth her attention," Sakura said, clenching the ground beneath her in frustrated rage.

"To get the acknowledgement of your special person, that is a worthy goal to try for," the herbal girl stated as she rose to her feet. "I'm sorry I can't stay longer but I have to prepare these."

As she walked away, Sakura became more downcast. The conversation had brought up a lot of her past, things that she tried to suppress as much as possible.

"I will say one thing," the herbalist said before she walked out of the clearing. Sakura looked up at her with a curious, if not downcast, face. "If you want that person to acknowledge you, sitting in the dirt feeling sorry for yourself won't work. Improve yourself and prove you're worth their attention and they will see what they have overlooked," were her last words as she disappeared behind a thicket of trees.

Sakura was too stunned to say anything in the way of a counter argument. The mysterious girl's words had struck a chord within her and she felt some of her former disgust returning. _'She's right!' _Sakura mentally screamed at herself, _'Ino will never want to be around me again if I can't even keep up with her! Stop wallowing in self-pity, Sakura!'_

"All right!" Sakura yelled as she jumped to her feet. "You just wait, Ino, I'll show you I'm better than that Naruto bastard!" she declared to the very forest itself. Still, she had no idea how to go about such a thing and that quickly calmed her down. "What should I do? The only thing new I've learned is how to use my chakra to walk on trees, Ino could do that a year ago..."

The sound of rushing water proved to be the answer to Sakura's question. With a sudden epiphany, the Genin bolted towards the sound and found one of the hundreds of small rivers that carved their way through the island.

Sakura laughed to herself as she took off her sandals. "Lets see Neji or Sasuke-kun do this!" the hyped girl said as she focused chakra into the souls of her feet. Taking a tentative step onto the water, Sakura fought for control as she put more and more weight on the appendage.

Her foot bobbed up and down in the water like a cork. She knew it wasn't supposed to be like this as she remembered how Zabuza had looked standing on the surface of the water. He could even run around on it like it was dry land.

"No guts no glory, I guess," Sakura hesitantly said as she put all her weight on the foot resting in the water. The resulting splash was enough to make the birds in the area take flight. The loud cursing coming from Sakura as she pulled herself back to shore didn't help either.

Soggy, but not deterred, Sakura tried it again with more chakra. At first, she bobbed up and down on the water and it looked like she would simply sink. With a subtle chakra adjustment, however, the bobbing stopped and the Genin found herself standing firm on the surface of the water.

For a moment, Sakura just stared at her feet, seemingly unable to take in the fact she had succeeded. Then, reverently, she took a step. Then another, another, and another. Soon, the pink-haired girl was running around on the small river like it was her own personal racetrack.

Grinning like an idiot, Sakura followed the river all the way back to its source: the bay of Wave Capital. She also got her first look at the massive bridge being built.

Sakura was feeling a bit bold so she ran up to one of the towering support columns of the bridge, sent more chakra into her feet, and jumped off the surface of the large bay. The extra power in her jump managed to get her a third up the structure before she had to plant her feet on the stone.

It was a bit of an adjustment going from molding her chakra for water walking to climbing but the clever Genin caught on before she lost her grip. She ran the rest of the way up the column and surprised a few workers when she suddenly vaulted over the side of the railing into their work area.

"Hell yeah!" she shouted, completely out of breath but still smiling. "Let's see Ino-buta ignore that when I show her! I bet she'll be begging _**me **_to spend time with _**her**_."

Sakura let out a deep breath as she slumped down on an unopened bag of concrete. She knew that Ino could probably use her chakra like this, but it would still surprise her. Still, Ino would want something more if she were to truly want to rekindle their previous rivalry and for the life of her, Sakura couldn't figure out anything more to learn.

As the workers put away their tools and started to leave, Sakura realized just how long she has spent running around. The sun was about to set and unless she missed her guess, Tsunami would be cooking dinner. Having missed lunch, that was a very welcome situation.

Predictably, the rest of her team had beaten her back to Tazuna's house and were already seated at the table. Kakashi looked tired, but active, while Sasuke and Neji were completely worn-out.

"Finally back from your walk?" Neji asked with a sneer.

Sakura didn't immediately rise to the taunt and sat down in a free chair. "Finally back from yours?" she asked in a dull voice.

Neji narrowed his eyes at the unexpected comeback while the Uchiha smirked at him for being so blind as to walk into the verbal snap.

Kakashi watched all of this with disinterest. He had already finished his meal, without letting a single person see him remove his mask, and was about to head upstairs to sleep. "Felling better, Sakura?" he asked, deciding to play the good teacher for the moment.

Sakura nodded with disinterest as she ate her meal. It was what Tazuna said that got her attention.

"Are you all ready to guard the bridge from Zabuza yet?" he asked in a distressed tone. His workers were leaving left and right and he couldn't blame them.

Sakura looked at Tazuna like the man was insane. "Zabuza's dead, I saw that much before I blacked out."

"That was one of Zabuza's henchmen," Neji informed his teammate with a frown. "He's most likely still alive and eager to continue with his mission."

As Sakura took in this information, Kakashi cleared his throat. "Sakura, starting tomorrow you'll head to the bridge with Neji and Tazuna to stand guard," he ordered.

"Why Neji?" Sakura asked with a frown.

When Sasuke grunted, the Hyuuga chuckled proudly. "Because I mastered the training exercise easily and the Uchiha is having difficulties with it."

Sasuke slammed his chopsticks down on the table as he roughly stood from his seat. "I'm going to train," he said suddenly and disappeared out the door into the night.

Neji laughed to himself once again before rising from the table himself to head upstairs to his room. When Tazuna excused himself and Tsunami started working on clearing the table, Kakashi and Sakura were the only ones left.

"Sooooo," Kakashi began, "how did your training go?"

Sakura snapped to attention at the question. If that mask wasn't in place, she could have sworn Kakashi was smirking at her reaction. "It was good," she answered.

Kakashi nodded and let the subject drop. "Well then, I'm off to sleep. I'll need to recover for when Zabuza shows up," he said. "I'm sure he'll be fully recovered in a matter of days."

The pink-haired Genin watched as her teacher made it up the stairs without using his crutches so she imagined he was almost well. If Zabuza was really alive and out there, how would she survive? Most likely he would be completely on guard so the young girl figured that there would be little she could do to help.

'_I'll just be another thing to worry about,' _she thought with a sigh. Despite the gains she had reaped after a day of training, she wasn't naive enough to think that she could stand up to something like Zabuza. More and more, she became depressed thinking about all the work she had to do to even get up to Ino's level let along a force like the missing-nin.

'_I have to do it, though. If I don't I'll never get Ino back again...' _Sakura thought as the cold embrace of sleep overtook her...

The next morning she was stirred from her dreamless sleep by the sun landing on her eyes from the open window in her room. Sakura lazily roused herself and cracked the various joints in her body as she stretched.

As she became more aware of her surroundings, several things made themselves immediately apparent. The first was that it was far too late in the day; Neji should have woke her up hours ago for guard duty. The second was that the house was deathly quiet. No sounds from the kitchen, no sounds from Inari's room which was next door. While she hadn't spent much time with the kid, Sakura knew how kids were and he should be making some noise.

Quickly and quietly, Sakura grabbed her weapons pouch and checked what she had left. She silently cursed when she remembered she hadn't restocked on kunai the night before. All she had left were a few rolls of wire and several explosion tags.

Weaponless and ill at ease, Sakura crept down the stairs of the house. She still couldn't hear anything and her unease was growing by the moment. Finally, at the back door of the residence, she heard what sounded like someone crying from under the stairs. Sakura quickly ran down the rest of the stairs and looked at the pitiful form of Inari curled up in a ball weeping.

"Inari! What's going on?!" Sakura asked in an urgent voice. When the child didn't answer, she shook him a few times to get him out of his shock.

"S-Sakura! They took m-mom!" he sobbed.

The Genin looked to where Inari was pointing and finally saw the large hole that had been cut in the side of Tazuna's house. She hadn't seen it from the stairs due to her point of view.

Quickly, Sakura turned back to Inari. "How long ago?" she asked.

"I-I dunno, maybe a f-few minutes," the boy said as he started to cry harder.

That was all Sakura needed. After telling Inari to stay put for now, she zipped out of the opening Tsunami's abductors had made. It didn't take long for her to spot them on the myriad of planks that made up the road system in the residential area.

'_Okay, now how do I beat two ronin with a hostage?' _Sakura asked herself. If she simply attacked them, either they would overpower her or the one left would kill Tsunami. Suddenly, the bright Genin had an idea when she saw Tsunami fight back a bit and Sakura started to form seals.

"Come on, stop fighting!" one of the ronin moaned as he pulled his unwilling captive along. His partner was getting equally annoyed. "Do you want us to go back and kill that brat? If you don't shape up we will," he threatened.

"Oh no you won't!"

The group stopped dead as a small girl dressed in a red dress barred their way several feet in front of them. One of the ronin smirked as he drew his katana a fraction out of its sheath. "And who's going to stop us, little girl?" he asked.

His partner, however, wasn't as enthusiastic. "Will you forget that kid and come on? We have to get this one to the boss!" he said as he fought to keep Tsunami still.

"But she's a ninja," the first ronin said, pointing at Sakura's forehead protector. With a smirk, he took a classic stance for the art of drawing. He was going to try and cut her in half with one draw.

"Sakura, run!" Tsunami screamed as her abductor took a step forward. Her words were cut off when the man drew his blade faster than she could see.

The Genin's eyes were wide as the blade sliced cleanly through her torso and she fell over into the water. Obviously pleased with his work, the ronin sheathed his katana and turned back to his companion. "How's that? Not even a drop of blood on my blade."

His celebration was short-lived, however, as a sandaled foot contacted with his head. The real Sakura landed hard on the fallen man's chest and quickly grabbed his sword from his waist. The second abductor held Tsunami closer, using her as a shield.

This, however, is what Sakura had expected and she rolled off her unconscious victim and into the water. Foolishly thinking the kunoichi had swam off to regroup the ronin ran over to his downed partner.

Silently, Sakura leapt up from the other side of the wooden plank, wielding the sheathed katana like a baseball bat. The man didn't even have a chance to scream out in surprise as he was knocked unconscious.

"S-Sakura!" Tsunami cried as she ran to the young woman. Sakura was breathing heavily from adrenalin but other than that she didn't seem phased by her ordeal. "I-I thought you had died!" the woman said as she stepped over her unconscious kidnappers.

"I kawarimi'd with some of the water so that I made it look like my clone fell in. After that, all I did was walk over to the other side of the walkway to catch him off-guard, sorry about scaring you," Sakura explained. "Where are Kakashi-sensei and the others?" she asked, knowing that this wouldn't be the only assault.

Tsunami pointed off in the distance to the bridge. "They went there this morning with father," she answered.

Sakura nodded and gripped the large katana in her hands a bit harder. Zabuza was most likely there but if she didn't go her team could suffer. "Tsunami, go get Inari and head to the village, you'll be safe there!" Sakura yelled over her shoulder as she darted towards the bridge.

Upon arriving, the first thing the kunoichi noticed was the thick mist hovering around the structure. _'Kirigakure no Jutsu...'_ Sakura thought as she headed towards the sounds of fighting.

Farther down the bride, she could make out what looked like a dome of mirrors and, past that, two figures fighting back and forth while Tazuna cowered behind a wheelbarrow.

Avoiding the mirrors, Sakura headed to Tazuna who nearly screamed when he saw her. "Sakura! Thank Kami someone else is here!" he said.

"What's going on? Where are Sasuke and Neji?" she asked now that she could see Zabuza and Kakashi fighting in the mist. When Tazuna pointed to the dome of mirrors, Sakura narrowed her eyes in confusion. "What is that thing?"

Tazuna shrugged as Sakura helped him to his feet. "That Sasuke kid fought Zabuza's henchman, the one that helped him get away earlier, and won. Then the masked kid used one of those jutsu things you guys do and those mirrors popped up around Neji and Sasuke."

Nodding her head, Sakura pushed Tazuna back down behind a stack of building supplies. "Hide here, okay?" she said. When he nodded, she headed towards the mirrors as there was really nothing she could do to help Kakashi.

Inside the mirrors, Neji and Sasuke weren't fairing very well. Even with a newly-acquired Sharingan on Sasuke's side and the Byakugan with Neji, neither boy could see past Haku's needle attacks.

"Hyuuga, distract him," Sasuke ordered as he started to do seals for another jutsu.

Instead of listening, however, Neji gathered his chakra and started to spin. **"Kaiten!" **he cried as a wall of chakra deflected a barrage of needles aimed at his neck.

"Watch what you're doing!" Sasuke snapped as he dodged the needles deflected by Neji's attack.

From the mirrors, Haku watched with mild disgust as his opponents did nothing but argue. He had almost hoped they would have put aside their differences and fought together but this was proving to be an impossibility with these two. He readied two fists full of needles, ready to put and end to this and go help his precious person. "It ends," he called as he darted from his mirror to strike at the unguarded Genins.

"Sasuke-kun! Watch out!"

Sasuke stopped bickering with Neji long enough to look to who had called him when he saw Haku's attack. Because the former hunter-nin hadn't expected Sasuke to notice him while he was arguing with Neji, Haku hadn't taken any precautions incase of counter attack.

The Uchiha managed to get in a strong right hook that floored the surprised Haku. Recovering quickly, the young boy darted back into his mirrors as Sakura ran into the fray.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" she asked as she eyed the numerous cuts on his skin.

The moody Uchiha grunted in reply. "I told you we should have woke her up," he said to Neji. "She could have helped earlier."

"Helped how?" Neji asked as he watched the mirrors for the one Haku would strike from next. "She ran right in here like a fool."

Tired of being ignored, Sakura stepped between the two geniuses. "Enough!" she yelled. "What's going on? You two need to work together! We have to beat this guy and go help Kakashi-sensei!"

Both Sasuke and Neji turned away with sour expressions, neither wanted to work with the other but there was no way out.

Seeing that she would at least get a little cooperation out of her teammates, Sakura began formulating a plan. When she looked closer at Sasuke, she noticed the Sharingan and an idea came to her. "Alright, you guys listen up!" she ordered as she began explaining.

Inside the mirrors, Haku was at an impasse. Sakura, the girl he had gotten to know in the forest while gathering herbs for Zabuza, had finally showed up. He had hopped that she would have stayed away from the fighting but now it seemed he was destined to harm her. Perhaps even kill her if it came to that.

'_Forgive me, kunoichi-san,' _Haku thought, _'but I have to protect my precious person as you have to gain the attention of yours. At least one of us will succeed...' _

"...okay, you guys got the plan?" Sakura asked as she finished. "Are you sure you can pull it off, Sasuke-kun?"

Said Uchiha nodded grimly. "My Sharingan isn't as advanced as Kakashi's but it can at least do that. I am ready," he stated with a grim determination.

Sakura nodded back and looked at Neji, he seemed ready as well. Taking a deep breath, the katana-wielding kunoichi made a rush for the gap between the mirrors as if she were trying to escape.

Haku reacted on instinct as he practically flew out of his mirror and towards the fleeing girl, needles extended and aimed for her neck. _'Forgive me!'_

"Sasuke, now!" Sakura cried as she suddenly turned on her heels and slid her pilfered katana out of its sheath. Weapons met with a shower of sparks as Haku's needles were countered by Sakura's steel. Off to the side, Sasuke's hands moved like lightning as his Sharingan predicted what mirror Haku would flee into. **"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"**

The fireball hit its mark as the mirror Haku was about to jump into was covered in flames. While the ice didn't melt, it made Haku change direction and double back to find a clear mirror. As soon as the young nin turned, however, he ran right into a strike by Neji.

"You are within my divination," Neji calmly stated as he took stance. Haku, stunned from the first blow, had no chance at dodging as all of his tenketsu points were sealed by the Hakke Rokujuyon Sho.

As his chakra was cut off, the mirrors surrounding the Genin fell and they found themselves free. Neji and Sasuke, no longer concerned with their former opponent, ran off to guard Tazuna. Sakura was about to do the same when Haku caught the hem of her dress and caused her to pause.

"You fought...well," Haku admitted with a cough, "I'm sure...your precious person will acknowledge you now..."

Sakura gasped in realization. "It was you! You were that girl in the forest! How could you be with someone like Zabuza?!" she demanded in an accusatory tone.

After a bit of maneuvering, Haku managed to pull off his mask. "He is my precious person that I would protect until death," he admitted. "Wouldn't you do the same?"

The missing-nin's words hit Sakura and drudged up all of the pain and depression Ino had caused her. "Ino...we can never gain back what we lost all those years ago," Sakura whispered in a quiet voice. "But, we don't need to," she continued in a stronger voice, this time with more passion. "We can make a new foundation, we can start over! I won't let things end like this, I will get Ino back!"

Haku smiled as brightly as he could at the girl standing over him. He could feel her determination and it gave him the strength to force his body into motion. Apparently, Neji had been too worn out when he had attempted to completely seal Haku's chakra.

Sakura's katana was out in a moment but Haku caught her hand before she could swing. "My fight with you is over, Sakura-san," he said in a low, gentle, voice. "I have to protect my precious person," the former hunter-nin said as the faint sound of chirping birds filled the air. Sakura's eyes were wide with surprise as Haku simply vanished from in front of her. She felt the air change and she was running before she consciously knew what she was doing.

Kakashi seemed to move in slow motion as he charged forward at the captured Zabuza, his fist ablaze with the Raikiri. He saw Haku zip past him using the Shunshin no Jutsu but his course was already set. With the disgusting smell of frying flesh, the Jounin's hand cut through Haku's body as if it weren't even there. What was more was that he boy had also destroyed his summoning scroll causing his nin-dogs to disappear.

"What a useful tool I picked up!" Zabuza exclaimed, winding up his sword for one last slash. "Giving me this last chance, what a great student you were, Haku!"

Kakashi pulled his fist out of Haku's flesh just in time for him to back step from the slash. What he hadn't counted on, though, was Sakura to charge in past him.

Zabuza's eyes widened as he watched the small, unassuming girl he had threatened earlier charge in under his own Zanbatou's sweeping arc with a large katana. He didn't so much as flinch as the cold steel cut through one of his lungs and out his back. His breath ragged, he stumbled back and used his sword to stand upright.

"Y-you...took my advice," he laughed. The irony of the situation was too much for him to take as he ripped the sword out of his chest and tossed it over the side of the bridge before collapsing onto his back.

Sakura looked down at the blood on her hands and started to shake. Her body and training had acted for her, delivering the strike before she could stop herself. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as the pool of blood beneath the Demon of the Mist started to grow larger.

Zabuza, however, raised his hand and motioned for the girl to come closer. "K-kid, come here..." he said as Sakura moved towards him like a broken doll. "That w-was a good cut," he said as he laughed yet again. "You killed...one of the s-seven swordsman, c-congratulations."

"I-I-I didn't want to kill anyone!" Sakura sobbed as she fell to her knees beside the former Jounin. "I-I'm so sorry!"

"Don't say that, it's what we were born to do," Zabuza stated, causing Sakura to look up at him. Seeing that face reminded him too much of Haku the first time his companion had asked what a ninja was. "We are tools, forged by the village we were born in. That's all they want us to be, don't-" the fallen Demon coughed up a stream of blood as his pulse raced. He could feel his time running out. "D-don't let them do it, become your own p-person. You are not their t-tool."

Sakura wiped her eyes with her free hand as Zabuza grabbed her other. "How do I do that? How can I possibly do that?" Sakura asked, her voice still laced with quiet sobs.

Zabuza struggled with his other hand as he reached the hilt of his sword. With a supreme effort, he pulled it up to the young girl and put the long hilt in her hands. "With this _Kubikiri Houcho _you cut anyone that would dampen your spirit," he stated, releasing both the sword and the kunoichi's hand. "It's yours to use as you see fit."

Sakura felt the weight of the weapon in her hand and was overcome by the trust she had just been given. "Why me?" she asked in a small voice.

Zabuza laughed once again and coughed up more blood. "Haku liked you," he said simply before he closed his eyes. "Kakashi, bring him to me. Please."

The Konoha Jounin, who had until now been quiet, silently brought the body of Haku over to the fallen warrior. Zabuza managed to turn his head even as his eyesight went dim. "Haku, I hope I get to go to the same place as you, I pray I do..." With that, the Demon of Kirigakure left the earth, finally free from the wills of men as the first snowflakes of winter drifted down around them.

Sakura struggled to stand with the massive zanbatou that had been entrusted to her. She managed to get it parallel to her body and found that the base of the blade continued up to the top of her head. Still, she drew strength from the weapon just from being around it.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura called out, "do you think Zabuza and Haku were bad people?" she asked still looking down at the peaceful companions.

The Jounin's eyes lost their edge as he also looked a the pair. Finally, he made up his mind. "No, I don't. Zabuza was just following what he thought was right, as was Haku. I can't call them bad people."

Sakura nodded with a determined scowl on her face to cover her tears. "I'll be just like them, then, I'll serve me and my ideals, what I think is right," she whispered. Kakashi heard her and nodded. Right now he too was questioning the way of the Hidden Villages.

"So the big, bad demon has bit the big one, eh?"

Sakura and Kakashi turned to see the walking sack of fat that was Gatou waddling up the bridge with a small army at his back. He took a look at Haku and Zabuza before breaking out in laughter that quickly traveled through his ranks. "Pathetic ninja, they aren't so tough now, are they?"

"Shut up," Sakura whispered to herself as she gripped the hilt of Kubikiri Houcho.

Gatou didn't catch the mood, however, as the man walked right up to the corpses of Zabuza and Haku. "Serves them right. If they aren't of any use then they should die," he stated as he poked the corpse of Haku with his foot. With a final laugh, he looked over at Kakashi. "Well, I guess I should pay you for taking care of these fools, eh? How much more if I hire you to destroy this bridge? I'll double your normal rate, what do you sa-" He never got a chance to finish.

With a feral cry, Sakura ripped the massive zanbatou out of the ground and let the blade have the blood of Gatou. The wide swing Sakura had used ripped the portly man in half with his torso and head landing several feet away while his legs remained upright bathing the bridge in a rain of blood and snow.

"Don't ever insult shinobi that would risk their lives in my presence," she snarled at the splintered body of Gatou. Kakashi sighed and put his kunai back in his pouch with a pout; he had wanted to dispatch the disgusting business mogul from this life.

The small army of Gatou started to shout for repayment as their paycheck had just bit the dirt. They stopped talking when Sakura, painted red from both Zabuza's and Gatou's blood, stepped forward with Kubikiri Houcho still in her hands and the swirling mist from Zabuza's jutsu still lingering around her body, wrapping her in a silhouette of haze. "Leave, now, before I kill you myself," she snarled.

With every step forward she took, the group of disorganized ronin took a collective step backwards. One of them, having seen Zabuza alive, shouted, "I-it's a demon! The Demon of the Mist came back to life!"

That was all it took. The group collectively ran for their lives from this new incarnation of evil standing before them. When they were halfway down the bride, they met a large group of townspeople being led by Tsunami and Inari. Now outnumbered and caught between two points of certain death, the ronin leapt over the side of the bride and into the choppy water below.

Kakashi carefully approached Sakura and pried the zanbatou from her grasp. "Sakura, calm down," he stated as he struggled to keep the massive blade steady. "You're going to hyperventilate."

"Hai, sensei," Sakura said as she fell unceremoniously to the ground. Seeing that Sakura had finally came off of her adrenaline rush, he laid Kubikiri Houcho down on the ground beside her and went to go check on a stunned Neji and Sasuke.

'_Can I do it though?' _Sakura asked herself as she stared at her refection in the blade of her new weapon. _'Can I protect my precious person and still live my life the way I want, Haku?'_

As if it were answering her question, a lone snowflake landed on her nose causing the pink-haired girl to look up. There she saw the sky clearing and a ray of sunshine spotlighted the entire bridge, cutting through the mist and ending the sudden snowfall.

"Yeah, I think I can," Sakura said as she smiled up at the heavens above her, grasping the handle of Kubikiri Houcho. "Watch out, Ino, whether you like it or not I'm a part of your life again..."

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Wow, this was a trip, huh? I really, really, really like my version of Sakura in this story. Keep in mind that while Naruto and Anko are the main characters, they aren't the only ones that I'll be covering. Expect every other chapter to follow another set of people in the Black Sheep universe. The altered relationship between Sakura and Ino is just one facet of the fiction that is Black Sheep. Naruto and Anko, Tenten and Team Two, Sakura and Ino, even the Akatsuki and Orochimaru are all main characters in this fiction. Hope you guys don't mind. 

Next chapter switches back to Naruto and Anko as they start their little bounty-hunting trip. Wonder how that's going to turn out? And what's this about a man with red eyes following them?! Next time on Black Sheep: Shark Fin Soup and Weasel Stew! See you guys then!

**::Jutsu List::**

_**Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique)**_  
This jutsu is a high-speed movement technique, allowing a ninja to move short distances at an almost untraceable speed. To an observer, it appears as if the user has teleported. A puff of smoke is occasionally used to disguise the user's movements.

_**Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Skill)**_  
A Ninjutsu technique that covers the area surrounding the ninja using it completely in mist. Perfect for silent killing, since there's practically no visibility within the area of this jutsu.

_**Suirou no Jutsu (Water Prison Skill)**_  
A Ninjutsu technique that controls the density of water, creating a heavy area of water that become a bubble-like prison that is inescapable so long as the user maintains their concentration.

_**Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu (Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)**_  
A Suiton (water type) Ninjutsu technique using water as its base. The ninja manipulates the water around them into a cyclonic explosion that rips into its victim like a tsunami. It has enough force to tear apart solid ground and uproot trees.

_**Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Skill)**_  
This technique must be mastered by any ninja who has graduated from the Academy at the Hidden Leaf Village. It's the most basic technique a Genin must know, since it can be a real lifesaver. This ninjutsu creates a shadow clone of the caster.

_**Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Substitute Skill)**_  
The Body Substitute skill is a widely used and very famous skill among shinobi. Put simply, the user uses speed to his/her advantage, and grabs an item from the environment and places it on his/her current position while moving out of the way.


	17. Shark Fin Soup and Weasel St

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the Naruto section. Here I am, back with a new chapter for all the good little girls and boys. Finally, finally, finally! We FINALLY get to Shark Fin Soup and Weasel Stew! I know you've wanted this chapter for a good, long, time, and while I do enjoy writing for Sakura, this has to be one of my favorite chapters. Hope the sudden switches from humor to drama to scare-the-freaking-crap out of you doesn't throw people off. I just really like to use Itachi and Kisame as comic relief when they don't have to be serious. Anyway, without further ado, read, review, and enjoy the latest chapter of Black Sheep!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. No one on here does so stop asking!

Well, my beta quit fan fiction. As such, please try and be nice when grading me on the spelling/grammar of the story. If you're an experienced beta, however, please drop me a line with your profile! I need a good one.

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**Chapter 17: Shark Fin Soup and Weasel Stew  
**

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"Are we there yet?"

"...no."

"Where are we going?"

"...I don't know."

"Thought you said that there was chaos where we were going?"

"...those were not my exact words."

"Well, I thought that-"

"Kisame," Itachi said the name in the same monotone as he said everything but his blue-skinned partner knew to shut up then and there. "I said that there is chaos wherever the Kyuubi has been, not that we were going to walk into a battlefield," the oldest known Uchiha stated.

His partner looked down the road they were traveling on with a frown. All night they had been walking around talking to random people about any strange sightings and all night they had been sent on one wild goose chase after another. From tails of a rogue Konoha patrol to an epic fight at the Valley of the End, the two had covered more ground in a few hours than they had the entire week prior. "I'm just saying that maybe we're going about this the wrong way..." Kisame mumbled low enough that Itachi didn't catch it. The shark-nin knew better than to piss of a sleep-deprived Itachi.

Said homicidal maniac didn't acknowledge his companion any further and instead continued walking down the road that would lead to their next clue. Several towns over they had heard about a large group of Konoha shinobi that had passed through the area and bought supplies. What made the group special is that the famous Copy-nin, Hatake Kakashi, had been with them along with Sarutobi Asuma. Along with that, there was the fact that the Sarutobi Jounin had been quite haggard-looking. Now the Akatsuki duo was retracing that groups steps in order to try and find Uzumaki Naruto. Thanks to information from Zetsu, Itachi knew that Asuma and Kakashi were out looking for the Kyuubi vessel and given the relationship of the former with it, they would not have gone back to Konoha without the boy. That left only one conclusion: Naruto and Kakashi had split ways on the trail back to Konoha. There was also the missing female, Mitarashi Anko, to be considered. She was most likely with the boy.

"This way," Itachi said aloud before plodding off into the trees by the side of the road. Kisame sighed and readjusted Samehada before following his partner. The former Kiri-nin was surprised to see Itachi moving so far ahead as if he were onto something.

Stopping a few feet from where his partner stopped, Kisame looked over the area. "So, what is it?" he asked when Itachi didn't say anything for several moments.

The genius pointed off into the treetops. "Last night, several shinobi came through here. Their leader was exceptional, I can not tell where he actually moved and I only know of his existence due to the footprints of the others," Itachi stated in his usual monotone but the air was tense. "Two of the others were talented as well; I would rank them as Jounin. The other three were very sloppy, most likely Genin. Naruto was injured and went off in an easterly direction with the woman."

Kisame let out a low whistle. "That's pretty good. You can tell all of this from the way the trees have been moved?" he asked.

"...no. I can see the dry blood right there and I figured that the shinobi that were most likely to get into a fight would be the Konoha group and the one most likely to be injured would be the only missing Genin who is the Kyuubi vessel. Since there was one more person that had started out with the group not accounted for, I assumed that she went with him."

Kisame stared at Itachi for several moments before finally blinking. "That's...not what I was expecting," Kisame admitted.

Itachi only walked farther into the woods with what Kisame could have sworn was an over-sized magnifying glass and strange hat on his head. "It was elementary."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Several miles away, blissfully unaware of the fact he was being stalked, Naruto yawned and pulled a pillow over his face to keep the sun off of his eyes. It didn't work, though, since he was already awake. With a yawn, the boy sat up in his bed and scratched his mop of hair lazily. It was only then he realized that he was actually in a bed when he was pretty sure he had fallen asleep out on the balcony with Anko. As he expected, the woman's bed was empty and she was nowhere to be seen.

"Wonder where she went?" he asked himself as he fumbled out of bed. "At least I got a good night of sleep without crazy teammates or snakes waking me up at ungodly hours."

"Yeah, don't get used to it, kid. It's not often I get a nights sleep like that," Anko admitted as she walked in the room with a tray of food. Most of it was cereal but there were a few fruits there as well.

Naruto grabbed an apple from the tray and took a small bite. With the reappearance of Anko, Naruto was reminded of their talk the night before and he felt the need to bring it up. "Anko-chan...about last night..."

The Special Jounin cut him off with an exaggerated yawn. "Yeah, last night. I really shouldn't get so drunk," Anko stated to the disbelieving Genin. "Dango and whatever it was they were serving in that bar does not mix."

"But, you didn't go out last night, we stayed here and..." Naruto trailed off at the very blank look Anko was giving him. Naruto wasn't ignorant; he knew what it meant and he hanged his head. "Hai, Hebi-chan, you shouldn't drink so much."

Anko slowly nodded and without a word, took her breakfast and retreated to her own bed to eat it in silence. In an effort to somehow salvage the trip, the Jounin decided to start a conversation. "Oh, I heard something interesting," she stated in an even tone. "Apparently, a famous missing-nin was seen in the area a few days ago."

Naruto did his best to remain stoic and quietly brood over the brush-off Anko had just dealt him but a small part of his personality demanded that any chance for adventure should be taken. "Who?" he asked in as unenthusiastic voice as he could muster.

"Oh, no one special," Anko groused as she took another bite of her apple. When Naruto turned to actually look at her with a very inquisitive look, she finally grinned. "Just the S-Class missing-nin from Kirigakure, Hoshigaki Kisame!"

"S-Class?!" Naruto shouted as he rushed for the bingo book he kept in his traveling pack.

While he was leafing through it, Anko sighed. Naruto was still mad at her for not acknowledging what had happened the night before, but he would get over it. _'It's for the best, after all,' _she told herself with a resigned sigh, _'Naruto is still a naive little brat and he has no idea what would fall on him if he were to get seriously attached to me.'_

"...an! Hebi-chan!" Naruto yelled out with annoyance. The Special Jounin blinked rapidly as she shook herself out of her thoughts and turned her attention to the Genin now standing in front of her bed. "Is this the guy?" Naruto asked once he saw his companion was back to reality.

Anko took the offered book and looked over the entry Naruto had turned too. There, taking up an entire page in the bingo book, was a blue-skinned man with sharp, angular teeth grinning at the camera. "That's him all right, the Daimio Killer."

Naruto scratched his head. "Daimio Killer? What did he do?"

"Well," Anko started as she leaned back on her pillows. "They say that Kisame, along with a few other people from the Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu, the Seven Swordsman of the Mist, raided the mansion of the governor of Hidden Mist. Kisame was the only one to actually make it past the Daimio's elite guard and he lopped off the man's head."

The Genin lifted his hand up to his neck subconsciously. "Why did they do it? I mean, who are the Seven Swordsman anyway?" Naruto asked, now completely absorbed in the story.

"The Seven Swordsman are the most elite shinobi in Kirigakure. In fact, the weakest of them would probably be up to Kakashi's speed. Two of them are missing nin, Kisame and another guy that's in the bingo book," Anko explained. "As to why they killed a Daimio, word is he mentioned how the Seven had botched a mission at a small party. Word got out about it so Kisame decided to kill him and run off."

Naruto again looked at Kisame's picture with a frown. "And how are we going to take this guy in? If he's that strong, we'd need a team to take him on."

Anko blinked in realization; it was as if she had never gotten this far in her planning. "I guess you have a point, brat. He is a bit rough," she admitted. Still, being Mitarashi Anko had its perks in being that there was nothing the purple-haired woman was really afraid of. "We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it!" she proudly declared. "Come on, finish up breakfast and we'll get out of here."

The Genin watched as Anko practically marched out of the hotel room. "She's trying too hard," Naruto quietly said to himself as he grabbed an orange for the road and followed her out after grabbing his pack.

Down in the lobby, Anko had just finished paying the innkeeper for their room and was showing him a picture of Kisame. Naruto couldn't' hear what she said to him, but the man shook his head and Anko sighed.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked when Anko walked over to him.

"I asked that guy if he's seen Kisame recently," the Jounin responded as she and Naruto walked out the door into the street. The sun was just peaking over the horizon and people were beginning to start their day.

Naruto took out a kunai and began to peel his orange. "Do you really think an S-Class criminal would just check into a hotel?" he asked.

Anko shook her head in response to the boy's question. "It's the really strong ones that tend to be the most stupid. They think they're untouchable. How do you think I heard of him in the first place? He screwed up and was seen by a local trader in this town when he was on the road last night," she explained. As if considering her own words, she paused mid-step and looked out the corner of her eyes at Naruto. "And you know, the Uchiha have a very bad habit of getting overconfident like that..."

"Hey! Don't group me with people who aren't even around anymore!" Naruto said, offended. It didn't come out as impressive with his mouth full of orange, however. "I didn't even grow up with them, you know."

"True," Anko admitted, "But I saw what you did to that guy at the valley...that was some hardcore shit." The purple-haired woman had been looking for an excuse to bring up the main reason she had dragged Naruto away from going back to Konoha and this looked like as good a time as any.

Naruto's expression became downcast and defensive. "They had it coming to them. They tried to kill the Hokage and they kidnapped me!"

Anko held up her hands in mock surrender. "Did I say you acted out of line, brat? Hell no, I would have toasted those bastards too. I'm just saying that you had a bad run of it for your first real fight."

"Well, I only killed one of them," Naruto mumbled.

"Heh, so the old man got a little fun? Didn't know he still had it in him." Anko started to chuckle but Naruto shook his head to the negative.

"Tayuya killed the last one, I only helped a little," Naruto admitted in a somber voice. He still was having a bit of trouble with the death of Raijin.

The purple-haired Jounin scratched her head. "Tayuya? That foul-mouthed little punk that was hanging all over you? She could actually fight?" Anko asked in honest surprise.

Naruto scoffed, glad to get past his involvement if only for a little while. "She was better than I was. Hell, she attacked me first and I had to get a new Sharingan level just to escape," the Genin said.

"Huh, it's always the ones you don't expect that turn out to be worth something," Anko mused. However, Naruto missed the sentiments and continued.

"And when she used that crazy jutsu, her power was incredible," Naruto whispered. "That guy was still a threat, but I really thought just Tayuya would just stamp him out when she got those crazy tattoos."

Anko paused once again. "Tattoos?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto nodded his head. "Yeah, jagged lines just popped up on her arms, legs, and neck. It was crazy." the boy stated, not noticing the way Anko's eyes had narrowed. He did, however, pick up on the small bits of killing instinct rolling off of her. "What's wrong, Hebi-chan?"

"...nothing, don't worry about it," Anko stated with a fake smile and continued walking.

Naruto could tell something was up but after what had happened that morning, he decided it was just another thing she wasn't going to tell him. Absentmindedly, he pulled out a small book he had "borrowed" from the doctor's office he had visited the day before.

"Is that what I think it is?" Anko asked when she saw the small orange book.

Naruto innocently looked up at the taller woman with wide eyes. "Why, Hebi-chan, whatever are you talking about?" he asked, still managing to sneak occasional glances at the Icha Icha Paradise book he was reading.

Anko groaned. "Do I even want to know how you, someone who was kidnapped in the middle of the night with only the clothes on his back, managed to get your perverted little hands on that book?"

Naruto grinned and went back to reading. "I stole it from the doctor's office," he answered with a lecherous giggle.

"Wow," Anko blinked, "I never pegged Doctor Kusanagi as an Icha Icha type," the Jounin stated as she read over Naruto's shoulder. A few pages later, she decided to comment, "No way anyone is that flexible."

The blond Genin turned a more embarrassed shade of red at the comment. "It's not supposed to be realistic!"

Putting her hand to her chin, Anko mused in pretend thought. "So what's it for?' Entertainment' value for guys too immature to come up with their own mental picture?" she asked. "I remember you came up with some crazy stuff when I woke you up for your first mission a few months ago," she pointed out with a smirk.

Naruto blushed and stuffed the book back into his pocket. "Happy?" he asked, slightly annoyed. He got even more annoyed when Anko openly laughed at him.

"Do I look like that Tenten girl you're used to? I don't care about that crap," she laughed. "I'm just saying that anyone other than a shinobi couldn't pull off half the shit in that book without breaking something."

The Genin made a sour face and walked ahead of Anko. The two were already outside of the village they had spent the night in and the sun was high in the sky. Naruto looked back at Anko and smiled. "Tenten is...Tenten," he said, scratching his head. "And I guess it's good that all the girl's I know are shinobi, huh?" Naruto asked as he stuck out his tongue at the older woman.

Anko blinked at the boy as he hurried around the road. "What the hell? You're turning into a much bigger pervert than that uncle of yours!" she yelled out as she chased the hysterically laughing boy.

With a second, more malovent duo, the mood was anything but jovial as Uchiha Itachi stooped in low to the ground. The red-eyed teen got closer and closer until his eyeball was almost touching the dirt beneath his gaze. Behind him, Kisame sighed.

"Itachi-san, what is the point of this?" he asked. The former Kiri-nin was hot, hungry, and tired from searching all night. "I can smell a town near here, can't we rest some?" he asked. "They might have pokey..."

Itachi perked up a bit when his favorite treat was mentioned but he didn't show any outward signs of it. "They went this way," the Uchiha said as he pointed in a random direction.

Kisame heaved Samehada back onto his shoulder and followed his partner. "This is the way to the town, you know," he pointed out with a sharky smirk.

"...it's a coincidence," Itachi stated in his usual monotone. It was obvious to both that while the trail did lead into the town, the main reason for going was the chocolaty treat Itachi craved.

It was almost noon when the two Akatsuki entered the hamlet. The people were busy in the streets loading up goods to take to Konoha and other villages for trade so the trail Itachi had been following was effectively beyond his detection unless he had access to a nin-dog.

Kisame, who had used a minor genjutsu on Samehada to make it look like a regular katana resting on his back, scratched his head. "Now what, Itachi-san?" he asked. His stomach was rumbling and he could practically taste the food being cooked in a nearby inn/dinner.

The Uchiha heir tilted his head slightly. "Get supplies and ask around because the Kyuubi definitely stopped here for the night," he stated in his usual eerie voice. Kisame, happy that the old, crazy, Itachi had made an appearance, turned to agree with his companion only to find him missing. "Where did he go?" Kisame wondered before groaning when he saw a familiar figure dart into the nearest candy store. "I'm starting to think he killed his family because they ate the last bit of pocky..."

That said, the tall missing-nin quickly ran into the hotel's dinner to fill his own rumbling stomach. Unlike his partner, Kisame actually managed to have a bit of self-control as he walked through the lobby of the hotel and headed to the sitting area. A young girl, obviously unnerved by his presence, led him to an out-of-the way booth and gave him a menu.

"So many good things on here..." Kisame mused. Finally, he handed the menu back and smirked at the serving girl. "Can't decide, just bring everything you have."

The serving girl looked at Kisame with wide eyes. "E-everything?" she asked. When Kisame nodded, she mumbled something about the kitchen not taking the stress and wandered off towards the back.

"Such good service here," Kisame mused. Usually, he had to bust a few skulls before people would serve him with his looks.

"Excuse me," the owner of the inn came over to the table and bowed. "Are you not Hoshigaki Kisame?"

This caught the Akatsuki's attention. "How do you know that name?" he asked in a tone that brokered no excuses. No one knew his name outside of ANBU squads, certainly not some bum inn keeper.

The old man 'eeped' and hid behind the serving tray he was holding. "P-p-please don't kill me!" he begged.

Kisame easily picked him up by the cuff of his shirt. "I won't if you give me the information," he stated. "Now, tell me how you know that name!"

"T-two people were in here this morning! A young boy and a woman, they were Konoha ninja!" the man shouted. "They showed me a picture and asked if you were around! I swear that's all I know!"

The cloaked missing-nin dropped the owner and heaved his massive sword back onto his shoulder. "Damn, looks like I won't be getting that meal after all. Which way did they go?"

The old owner pointed out one of the windows. "They followed the road towards Tea Country! P-please leave me alone!"

Kisame viciously smiled and started going through handseals. "No can do, you know who I am. **Suiton: Bakusui Shoha!"**

Itachi walked out of his pocky shop with a slight spring in his step. Under his arm he had several boxes of the tasty treats and he was feeling rather content with himself. That was, until, he look up at the enormous wave bearing down on him and the rest of the city.

"…shit."

The water wall hit with such force that the houses practically exploded into splinters with their occupants inside. On the streets, people were mowed down by the water as they went about their business. Their deaths were so swift that only the ones that were facing the small inn where it had originated saw it coming.

Itachi, being the superior shinobi he was, managed to shunshin to the top of the pocky shop where he proceeded to flee the destruction. When he heard the shop he had just exited get crushed behind him, he sighed. "All that pocky…wasted…"

Further back, riding out the destruction like a surfer, Kisame directed the water as it decimated the small town. He knew Itachi was down there somewhere but he trusted his partner's ability to avoid a watery death.

"And if he doesn't, I always get his stuff. It's a win-win!" the shark man laughed. He always did like Itachi's stereo…

"What's a 'win-win', Kisame?"

The Kiri-nin looked over at the slightly-wet Uchiha with a small smile. "Ah, hey there. Get your pocky?" he asked, changing the subject.

Itachi held up the boxes he managed to save from Kisame's watergeddon. "You destroyed the shop, though," the cold tone was enough to let the other missing-nin know Itachi wad displeased.

"Ah, I had to!" Kisame quickly defended. "Someone knew my name here, who knew how many people he told?"

The Uchiha 'hmm'd' and nodded. "Very well, the town was a risk if that was the case. Tell me, though, how did they know of you here? We are well outside of Kiri."

"My guess is that it was that Kyuubi brat and the woman he's with who told them. The inn keeper said they were Leaf-nin," Kisame responded.

Finally, the waters started to recede and the two homeless shinobi floated down to the muddy ground below. Before them, there was a blank space of land that was easily the size of a small city let alone the town that had been sitting there before. It was washed clean.

Kisame surveyed his work with a smug smirk. "Ah, the old guy said they went this way, Itachi-san," the former Kiri-nin stated as he pointed to a road on the other side of the clearing.

Itachi didn't say anything in response at first and instead simply started walking. Once they were actually to the road, Itachi's eye focused on several sets of tracks. "We are only an hour behind them, Kisame," he said. "Why were they asking about you?"

"Ah…didn't think to ask that," Kisame admitted. "Oh, maybe they want that bounty that's still on my head? The old guy said they had a picture of me in a little book."

"You have a bounty?" Itachi asked, pausing in the middle of the road for a moment. There was only the smallest hint of curiosity in his voice, but it was there. "…how much?"

Kisame glanced sidelong at his partner with an even look. "…ten million ryu…why?"

Itachi continued walking. "No reason," he lied. Kisame could have sworn he heard Itachi mumble something about small fry, but he couldn't be certain. In a louder voice, Itachi said, "I have an idea, Kisame. We're going to let the Kyuubi catch his fish…no pun intended, of course."

Kisame sighed. For someone who hardly ever spoke, Itachi had a smart mouth when he decided to open it…

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Anko, are you sure you know where we're going?" Naruto asked once again as he pushed through the thick underbrush that they were currently traveling through.

The young woman shrugged. "The next town is this way and that's as good a place to go as any," Anko stated.

Naruto shrugged, that sounded reasonable enough for him. "How do you know this place so well?" he asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

"…it was back with my old Jounin instructor," Anko reluctantly stated and the conversation was closed.

The Genin sneered and dropped the subject. _'She doesn't trust me anymore,' _he reminded himself as he continued along.

Behind him, Anko looked at him with a resigned face. She knew very well that Naruto was still upset about the night before but she had resigned herself to protecting him even at the cost of her friendship with the boy. After all, most of the village still hated her for her dealings with Orochimaru. Only Naruto's relation to Kakashi kept some of the more influential people at bay in regards to her relationship with Naruto.

'_Still, I can be there for him as a teacher until he just…forgets me,' _Anko decided. _'I'll do better by him than my teacher did with me.'_

Suddenly, the sound of a someone strumming an instrument floated by on the wind. It was such a surprising thing that Naruto and Anko stopped cold. Anko immediately drew a kunai and eased her footsteps so that she literally made no sound on the forest floor.

When Naruto looked back at her, she signed orders using Konoha's standard sign language. 'Surround and scout.'

The Genin nodded and the two separated with each going into a sweeping arc away from one another. The strange music continued, however, so the two shinobi crept closer through the trees.

Finally, the pair came to a clearing in which, there was a figure in a dark robe with red clouds strumming on a lute. Oh his head was a strange straw hat and off to the side were numerous empty bottles of whisky.

If Naruto and Anko weren't confused, Kisame was confused enough for the both of them. _'What the hell is Itachi doing?' _he asked himself as he strummed a few more keys on an instrument he had no idea how to play. _'Oh no, we can't just grab the kid and kill the woman, Itachi has to make some over-elaborate plan that could fall apart at the drop of a hat.'_

Kisame, of course, knew exactly where Naruto and Anko were. The boy was being incredibly clumsy and the woman was only marginally better when compared to someone of his caliber. The Akatsuki member also knew where his partner was. _'Waiting to make his dramatic entrance. Why can't I ever make a dramatic entrance?'_

Anko raised an eye at the drunken way the lute player was acting. With all the bottles laying around, he should be out cold. _'That means he's a shinobi…'_ she mused as only someone with some sort of body conditioning could take that much alcohol.

Suddenly, the figure slumped over onto his side like a dead body. His hat rolled off his head and revealed the distinctive face of Hoshigaki Kisame snoring like a punch-drunk baby. There was even a tiny bit of drool coming from his mouth.

'_What the hell?! That's Kisame!' _Anko thought as she watched the figure in the distance. _'There's something seriously wrong, this is too convenient…'_

Naruto, however, wasn't nearly as cautious having never actually been around shinobi like Kisame before. As such, the young Genin carefully walked out of hiding and into the clearing.

Anko's eyes narrowed as she watched the former Kiri-nin sleep off his drunkenness. When the man didn't make any moves in response to Naruto coming out of hiding, she relaxed just a little. _'Maybe he's just overrated? Getting drunk in the middle of nowhere...' _Still, as a precaution, Anko bit her thumb and ran through a set of seals.

Down in the clearing where Kisame was sleeping off his stupor, Naruto pulled out a kunai and slowly walked forward. He knew Anko was still around and that she was just being cautious, but the missing-nin was out like a light in his opinion.

Getting bolder with every step, Naruto practically strolled up to Kisame and put the kunai he was holding the fishy man's throat. That was his queue for all hell to break loose.

The sudden sound of a crow cawing caught Naruto's attention and caused the boy to quickly turn around. The large bird was standing around ten feet away and staring dead at the Genin. As if the caw had been a signal, more and more birds started to flock to the clearing. Soon, there was a veritable flock of large, black, birds all staring at Naruto.

Said Genin was justifiably getting freaked out. "Damn that's a lot of birds," Naruto said to himself. More than be startled by them, though, the blond was worried that their cawing would wake Kisame. "Get! Go on!" he harshly whispered, hoping they would get frightened and fly away.

The birds, however, did just the opposite. Instead of being frightened, they waddled closer as a group.

Finally, Naruto decided enough was enough. Taking careful aim at the center of the flock, the Genin sent his Kunai flying. _'That should scare them off,'_ he thought. So sure was he that the next sting of events came as a much larger shock to his system.

From the center of the flock, a _**hand **_seemingly appeared from the sea of dark feathers and deftly caught the weapon. The crows started to crow madly and trash around, their feathers flying everywhere.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as an army soon joined the hand rising slowly from the mass of birds. By now their crowing had reached a new crescendo of shrillness as if being spurned on by this apparition in their midst. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the crows took flight.

Hundreds, maybe even thousands, of the death-black birds filled the space before Naruto. The impossible number of avians formed a seemingly-solid wall of black now ripped through the clearing.

By now, the blonde boy had lost all thoughts of Kisame and was focused solely on the dark legion before him. Then, in the swirling maelstrom of feathers and tortured shrieks, a new presence made itself known.

As if emerging from the gaping maw of hell itself, a set of red eyes opened in the darkness and all at once, everything stopped. The birds, now frozen in place, bore silent witness to the figure stepping out of their number, his silhouette a grim profile in their malovent legion.

Dressed head to tow in a sweeping cloak, the young man stalked silently towards his prey. His piercing red eyes instantly focused on Naruto's and the world instantly started breathing again.

"Naruto-kun," the figure said once the last crow had disappeared. "You will come with me."

The younger Uchiha started to breathe in short, panicked, breaths. "I-Itachi…!" Naruto managed to gasp. The killer of the entire Uchiha clan was standing before him and the killing intent rolling off of him was staggering. It was all Naruto could do to breath.

It was then something seemingly clicked with the raven-haired youth. This was the same boy he had watched the last Chuunin exam with before he had left. That sudden laps of concentration would prove to be a problem, however.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"**

Itachi leapt up into the air as the massive tail of a purple serpent slammed into the ground where he had been standing. The Akatsuki member didn't seem too concerned with it, though, as he watched stoically from his new perch in a nearby tree.

The summoned snake slithered out from the forest and interposed itself between Naruto and the renegade Uchiha with something akin to a scowl. After all, most snake users didn't use their talents for protection.

"Anko-san, it's good to see you again," Itachi stated as he easily knocked several kunai out of the air that were aimed at his head.

Back behind the guardian Anko had summoned for him, Naruto was trying to regain his wits. "W-what's Itachi doing here?" the boy asked aloud. "Did he come to finish the job or something else?"

"Ah...that's a big snake."

Naruto turned around and zeroed in on the voice. Kisame rose to his feet and cracked a few bones in his arm, trying to get the kinks out of it. "Itachi sure is taking his time with this one," he mumbled, picking Samehada back up off the ground and brushing it off. "Still aren't running yet, kid?"

The blond took a step back and felt his back hit the scales of the snake guarding him. The small action got the beast's attention and Kisame soon found himself face-to-face with an aggravated, two-story, reptile.

"Oh, what have we here?" Kisame asked with a vicious smirk. "I wonder if your scales can stand up to my Samehada?"

The Genin watched in sheer amazement as the shark-man seemingly signed his own death warrant by launching himself at the massive summoned animal. Fangs barred, the serpent reacted with a strike of its own and its open mouth easily swallowed the comparatively small Kisame.

"Well, that was anti-climactic," Naruto stated. When the snake groaned, the boy tilted his head in confusion. "What's wrong, don't like seafood?"

Even if the snake could respond to the bad joke, its opinion was rendered moot as the massive blade of Samehada sprouted from the top of its skull. The reptile thrashed around in spasms, wrecking trees and forcing Naruto to make a break for cover.

Finally, the beast toppled over, it's mouth agape in muted horror. Something inside the creature's skull moved around and the zanbatou was yanked from where it was wedged before a blue hand ripped open the snake's jaw.

"Gods, that thing smells worse inside than it did outside," Kisame sputtered in disgust as he calmly walked out of the creature's mouth. Other than a ruined overcoat, the missing-nin looked none the worse from his attack.

Naruto nearly lost his grip on the tree limb he was sitting on when the giant summon poofed out of existence. Something that big was supposed to last longer than one attack!

A loud crash coming from the other side of the clearing caught his and Kisame's attention. From the foliage, Itachi calmly dragged an unconscious Anko out into the field and looked directly at Naruto's hiding place.

"Uzumaki Naruto, come out or I kill your teacher," the young man stated in ruthless monotone.

Naruto weighed his options. He could run and maybe escape, but he doubted it. Itachi had destroyed the most talented clans in Konoha by himself in a single night; no way he'd lose a Genin in a game of cat and mouse.

On the other hand, Anko was out cold. It was obvious from the amount of blood coming from beyond her hairline that a blow on the head had done the deed so she wouldn't be up anytime soon. With Itachi standing over her as he was, there was no chance of a rescuing her and making an escape. None at all. Actually, there was really no decision to make in his mind.

With a scowl, Naruto walked out of the tree line with his hands up.

Kisame busted out with a deep laugh once he caught the look on Naruto's face. "What's with the look, brat? You look like someone took your favorite toy."

"Uzumaki Naruto, you will come with us," Itachi ordered, ignoring his partner. "If you resist, I will kill the woman."

Naruto's scowl deepened. "Let her go and I'll go with you."

"Hey, hey." Kisame heaved his massive zanbatou off of his shoulder and pointed it threateningly at the Genin. "Getting pretty mouthy for a prisoner. Want me to grind your face into sandpaper with my Samehada?"

"Kisame..." Itachi called out as a warning. The Kiri-nin snorted and re-shouldered his sword. He still felt the need to condescendingly smile at Naruto, though.

The Genin let out the breath he hadn't noticed he was holding when Kisame took a step back. As much as the thought galled him, there was no way he could defend himself against someone of that caliber in this situation.

Itachi took away the kunai he had been holding to Anko's throat and let go of her hair. Naruto watched in despair as the Jounin's head limply fell to the ground without so much as a stir. Not caring about what Itachi would do, the boy ran over to his teacher.

"Anko, Anko!" Naruto lightly shook the woman. She was breathing but the breaths were ragged. One of her eyes was swollen shut as well.

Still, the kunoichi managed to crack open her working eye and put on a sloppy grin. "Brat...why are you still here?" she rasped.

Naruto started shaking when he saw the extent of Anko's injuries and he wheeled around on Itachi with his teeth barred like a wild animal. "You...you'll pay for this!" he yelled as his eyes flashed red. He was too far gone to listen to the part of his mind that was screaming out to him.

"Ho...little kid thinks he can play with the big boys?" Kisame laughed as he moved forward, Samehada barred. Itachi, however, had frozen once he saw Naruto's face.

Kisame didn't see the first blow coming.

Naruto's foot had lashed out with pin-point accuracy and caught the shinobi square in the jaw. Then, with moves chained together faster than the sharkman could react, Naruto had slammed his hands down on the ground in a handstand and was launching kick after kick into Kisame's gut.

With a growl, the former Kiri-nin used his free hand to grab Naruto's leg with the full intention to snap it like a twig. However, the sudden weight he felt himself holding made him look down with wide eyes.

"_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!**_"

Kisame instantly brought Samehada up to guard himself against the desperate fireball, dropping Naruto in the process.

The fireball wasn't as large as Naruto had hoped it would have been, there wasn't time to convert enough chakra to fire, but it had the desired effect. Kisame was too busy putting out his coat to give chase so Naruto headed towards the main threat: Itachi.

If the older Uchiha was surprised at this course of action, he certainly didn't show it as he brought his kunai up to block Naruto's attack. With Anko only laying a few feet away, Naruto pulled out all the stops and pressed on with all of his might.

Not giving an inch, Itachi also pushed back with similar results. Feats of strength weren't really his forte' anyway. Still, it was enough to keep the fight still for a moment longer.

"Those eyes, they are the Sharingan," Itachi stated aloud. "How did you get them? Who was your father, I wonder?"

Naruto pulled out the kunai he had been hiding in his coat sleeve and took a swipe at Itachi's flank. While it didn't hit, the strike did force the missing-nin to jump back leaving an opening for Naruto to advance inside Itachi's guard.

The two-tome Sharingan in Naruto's eyes spun wildly as the boy struck with un-rivaled precision. However, the gap between Genin and former ANBU leader was too much to bridge.

As if he were fighting a child, Itachi dropped his kunai and instantly grabbed both of Naruto's hands as they came in for killing blows. "Not enough," the teen stated. "Your Sharingan is not advanced enough to match the power of my eyes. Tell me who your father was," the older boy demanded.

Naruto wasn't listening. Using the same maneuver he had used against Kisame, the blond used Itachi's hands as a platform to gain enough leverage to launch is leg upwards.

Itachi blocked the knee strike with his own knee and, taking the blatant opportunity, head butted Naruto's skull. He followed up with a few quick shots to the boy's ribs and sent him stumbling backwards.

"Is that the limit of your abilities?" Itachi asked, his voice a cold monotone wrapped in disappointment, "Perhaps you are only a mongrel of diluted blood? How saddening that you are our target."

"You killed my entire family and you say that!?" Naruto roared as he fought to keep his balance. Opposite him, Itachi only stared back with a dull, listless, stare.

The un-acknowledgement set the boy off once again and he charged back into melee range. The blows, bolstered by the Sharingan, were fast, accurate, and always poking at perceived weak spots. However, Itachi's blocks were always directly in place to the point where Naruto was starting to believe Itachi could somehow guess where he was going to hit.

"This is pathetic," Itachi declared as he batted away punch after punch. Off to the side he could see Kisame finally put himself out and was looking none-too-pleased. In fact, the sharkman looked absolutely murderous. Itachi knew his partner wouldn't act, though, since it was obvious that he was just playing with his opponent.

Naruto launched a particularly vicious kick in response and left himself too open once again. His foot was easily caught by the Uchiha prodigy and the taller boy hit the back of Naruto's knee. The blow contained such force that after he had been dropped to the ground, Naruto's leg continued to spasm and could no longer hold any weight.

He could hear Kisame laughing somewhere behind him and small sigh Itachi gave at his quick defeat. However, the only thing that registered to Naruto at the moment was the absolutely blinding pain in his knee joint.

Like a wounded animal, he rolled around on the ground, grasping at his leg. It was such a precise strike, something he should have expected a Jounin to use.

Naruto was forced to stop rolling around when his back hit something soft that groaned.

"Oww…damn brat," Anko moaned, still not fully conscious, before coughing and going silent once again.

The words, few as they were, cut through the haze of anger and pain in Naruto's mind. They were an anchor, a base, for the small rational side that had stayed untainted.

"…sorry, Anko-san," Naruto whispered. It was something that he would never want to do, cause pain to one of his most precious people. With Itachi now advancing on him, time was running out. He had to get Anko away from this place, "…even if it kills me."

Itachi slightly shook his head when he looked at the prone form of his long-lost relative. "You must have been of low stock if this is your limit. Now, your life is forfeit due to your own inadequacies. You will come with us and then you will die, it's what's going to happen regardless of what you do here."

"I won't let you…"

Itachi watched as Naruto struggled to his feet. His leg looked close to buckling under him but his sheer will was holding it in place, it seemed. "As I said, you don't have a choice," Itachi repeated. "You will-"

"Shut up!" Naruto barked. His eyes were razor sharp despite the way his body looked. "I don't care what happens to my body, my bones, or even my life! You won't touch Anko or I'll kill you!"

Kisame blinked at the small kid. Was he really serious? Did he have any idea what was going to happen to him? "Itachi-san, I think we should cut off a few body parts, maybe start with his tongue," the man joked.

However, Itachi and Naruto were completely ignoring him, lost in their own battle of wills. The renegade Uchiha's eyes had narrowed to a dangerous degree and he was staring a hole in Naruto's head. If looks could kill, Itachi's piercing gaze would have reduced his opponent to cinders.

Likewise, Naruto was dead-set on carrying through with his statement. Everything he had done in his life had been through the help of the people around him, they had always protected him. It had been his grandfather who had saved him last time at the cost of leaving the village along with everyone dear to him. They had risked their very lives for his and now it was time to return the favor.

'_Anko-chan, let me protect you this time…'_

With a deep breath, Naruto slammed his leg down hard into the ground. Itachi was mildly impressed when he heard the pop of the boy's knee going back into place; he honestly didn't think Naruto was capable of something like that. It seemed the display caught Kisame's attention as well since the tall man stopped his advance.

Now face to face, will to will, Itachi and Naruto continued their staring death match. It was Naruto who blinked first.

"_**Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!"**_

Itachi broke into a run to escape the powerful orbs of flaming death coming after him and easily kept out of their reach through the use of his Sharingan.

Suddenly, from the side and the front, two Naruto's came barreling at him while the third continued to breathe fireballs. His Sharingan quickly saw that they were mere bunshin, but he decided to play with Naruto for a little longer.

Breaking to the left to avoid the first clone, Itachi pulled out a kunai and ran straight for the fire-spitting Naruto. Again dodging the jutsu, he quickly got into the real Naruto's guard and sent the sleek piece of metal screaming into the stunned Genin's shoulder.

With a 'pop' the stabbed bunshin disappeared leaving Itachi alone in the clearing. However, the Jounin wasn't about to be caught sleeping.

Before Naruto's uppercut even broke the surface of the ground, the Uchiha was already in the air, leaping out of range. When he brushed himself off, Naruto looked slightly pensive now that his plan hadn't worked.

"That was impressive, Naruto-kun," Itachi stated, "Standing inside of your bunshin so the Sharingan couldn't tell it was a clone until the last moment. Even putting a small concealment Genjutsu within it's chakra to cover the hole you had dropped down into. I underestimated you."

Naruto didn't look happy at the praise. "This isn't over!" he shouted, sounding somewhat unnerved.

He needed an edge. Something that would at least give him a handicap. It was a pain that he didn't have any of his standard tools with him, his former kidnappers had disarmed him earlier, and Anko had only provided him with his spare coat and a few kunai.

'_This coat feels heavy, though,' _Naruto suddenly realized. Subtly, even though he was pretty sure Itachi could see what he was doing, Naruto felt around inside the piece of clothing for something, anything, that was hidden there.

A few kunai, needles, and maybe a smoke bomb was what he found in the pockets. There was something heavy inside the lining of the coat, where he would usually keep spare weapons, and it was defiantly metal, long, and heavy…

'_The Kusari Fundo!' _Naruto suddenly realized. Anko must have brought it along with her and just forgot to mention it. Always could count on Anko's paranoia when it came to being unarmed.

But would it be enough to deal with Itachi long enough to escape? Looking at his face, Naruto couldn't tell if the other Uchiha was getting impatient or not so who knew when Itachi would just up and attack?

'_I have to try!' _Naruto told himself. What else could he do? His fire jutsu, the only large-scale attacks he had, were all probably known and mastered by Itachi himself. This was the only thing he had that Itachi probably didn't know about so he would have to use it.

Carefully, Naruto pulled back out his hand with the smoke bomb inside. If his opponent knew what it was beforehand, there would be no way to make up for the loss of surprise.

Itachi made his mistake when he blinked. Naruto's eyes caught the small action and he acted. Strangely the missing-nin didn't try to dodge the ball even as it was flying towards him but the Genin didn't care.

The plume of purple smoke enveloped the area and Naruto ripped the length of chain from his coat. "_**Mugen**__**Kusari no Jutsu!"**_

With a burst of chakra flowing through it, the Kusari Fundo reached incredible lengths as it snaked through the air, circling the smoke in a split second. Not even bothering to breath, Naruto directed the chain to constrict into the smoke, praying he caught other Uchiha.

The atmosphere was tense with tension as the chain pulled taunt. Naruto's sandals dug into the earth as he braced himself and pulled on the chain. The resistance was negligible, to Naruto's surprise, as a bound Itachi appeared from the smoke, stoic expression still firmly in place on his face.

"Now you pay!" Naruto shouted, forming seals in his hands as best he could while holding the chain. "You're going to pay for my family, me, and most of all, Anko! _**Raiton: Denryuu no Jutsu!"**_

The purloined jutsu worked immediately as hundreds of volts were sent into the Kusari Fundo. With only one place to go, the raw power ripped into the bound Itachi with a sickening sizzling sound filling the air.

Seeing Itachi fall over, Naruto stumbled back before falling to the ground with a wince. Still not completely recovered from his earlier injuries, the boy was wiped out after this assault.

"I still made you pay," he heaved, sparing the charred body of Itachi another look. Former success turned to horror, however, when the body was no longer where it should have been. There was a light cloud of smoke hovering over the spot and Naruto immediately knew what happened.

"Again you impress me, Naruto-kun."

Naruto didn't even have to turn around to know Itachi was standing unscathed behind him. "Kage Bunshin…I didn't even see you do it," he gasped as he rubbed his eyes.

"Your Sharingan is not fully developed. Even if it can copy jutsu, it can not register faster-than-sight movements yet," the older Uchiha stated. "Now, you will come with us or Anko-san will die and you will still come with us."

"What the hell do you want with me?!" Naruto yelled, using his last bit of energy to shuffle around to face Itachi and Kisame. "Do you want to finish the job so you'll be the only Uchiha left? Is that it?!"

Kisame laughed and leaned forward, his arms resting on the Samehada's hilt. "We don't want anything with you, kid. We want the over-grown ball of fluff inside you."

When Naruto's face only registered confusion, Itachi blinked. "Could the village not have told you yet?" he asked himself more than anyone else. A tug on his cloak made him look down and broke him out of his thoughts.

"D-don't tell…him…" Anko pleaded. "You d-don't need...to do this..."

The Uchiha looked down at the woman as if she were dirt on the bottom of his shoe. "Anko-san, you are not important to this conversation," he stated. His voice was still cordial but there was an obvious edge to it.

"Told me what?" Naruto asked, trying to buy time and take Itachi's attention off of Anko. It seemed to work as Itachi seemed to ignore Anko's efforts.

Itachi stared at his long-lost relative for a few moments as if he were looking at a child that walked into an adult conversation. "That you have a monster inside of you," he suddenly stated.

"A monster?" Naruto repeated. How could something be inside of him? "What are you talking about? What kind of monster?"

"I remember it," Itachi mused instead of out-right answering, "when it attacked Konoha. There was no warning, no time to prepare. All of my ANBU division was killed by it. Even the Hokage could not fight it without great loss."

Anko's efforts intensified as she struggled to crawl up Itachi's coat with nothing but sheer will. "I...won't l...let you..." she croaked.

Itachi mearly kicked her away like a piece of trash and continued. "The monster killed over half of our shinobi forces and the 'Yellow Flash' yet we could not even kill it, we had to seal it..."

Naruto's eyes went wide with understanding. "B-but the Kyuubi killed the Fourth...does that mean..."

"I'm sure you've seen it, the seal on your stomach," Itachi stated, pointing to the boy. "Have you never wondered what it was? It's the seal the Fourth gave his life to make. The very seal that keeps the demon fox bound to this mortal world."

Naruto put a hand on his stomach. It was impossible that something like that could be sealed inside of him without him knowing, wasn't it? "I'm...I'm the Kyuubi...? My...my mother...oh god..."

"No! You are not the Kyuubi!" Anko yelled, coughing up speckles of blood. Her voice was clear, though, and it cut through the haze of Naruto's mind.

The voice was a life-line to the shattered Genin. He grasped it like a man dieing of thirst would grasp a glass of water. On the brink of tears, he looked up at the serious face of Mitarashi Anko.

"You...you are not the Kyuubi," the woman said, locking eyes with the teen. "The Kyuubi was a merciless monster with no remorse. It killed hundreds, thousands of people without any regard for anything other than its own will." Then, with a softer voice and expression, she smiled in quiet way that was out of place on her normally mischievous face. "You are Naruto: Shinobi of Konoha, grandson of the Hokage, promising Genin, and...and the only person I have ever put my complete trust in. I didn't realize it, but you are the only person that makes me feel truly alive, like I did before I gave my childhood away. You will never be a monster to me," she admitted with a slightly-shamed expression. "I've seen real monsters and you, Naruto, are as far from one as humanly possible."

Naruto sniffed a few more times and wiped the tears from his face. Anko gave him one of her trademark smirks and he mirrored the expression as best he could. He realized that even if he was a monster, it wouldn't matter as long as he was only measured by how Anko saw him. That opinion alone was the only thing he had ever cared about. Mitarashi Anko was his measure of existence, not the man standing before him.

Itachi showed no emotion as Naruto struggled to his feet. "You...I don't care what you want from me!" the boy rasped, "I won't be a pawn to you!"

"Ho, this is one tough brat," Kisame appraised, his voice for once not the usual drawl. "After all that he's ready to go again. You got guts, kid!"

Naruto pulled a kunai from the sleeve of his coat and watched the two people before him. He had virtually no strength left, but that wouldn't stop him.

Suddenly, Anko sprang to life. Kisame, obviously caught off-guard, let out a groan as for the second time in a single fight he was kicked in the head. The snake Jounin used the shark's head as a platform to launch herself at Itachi who was still oddly calm.

Anko let out a scream as a kunai pushed its way through her neck. Itachi had moved before either Naruto or herself could react.

"Anko!" Naruto yelled, gripping his kunai in disbelief. "I'll kill you for this, you bastard!"

Itachi ignored the impassioned outburst. "It seems you were holding something back during our fight, Anko-san," the Uchiha stated as the woman impaled on his kunai transformed into a writhing mass of snakes. They snakes quickly wrapped themselves around the missing-nin's arms and Itachi's eyes moved over to the side where Kisame was still rubbing his head. "You were holding back quite a bit."

Naruto followed Itachi's eyes and watched in shock as Anko eerily emerged from the very ground itself behind the former Kiri-nin. Kisame's smirk turned feral as he felt the cold steel on his neck.

"Now, you will let Naruto go or I slit your partner's throat," Anko said in a slow, deliberate tone as she licked her lips. "I would just _hate _to spill such rich blood on the ground. What a waste it would be."

"Just like that old snake, Orochimaru," Kisame spat. "If I get kicked in the head one more time, I'll get myself a new pair of snake-skin boots!" His eye twitched when he felt the tip of Anko's kunai push itself into his skin and he wisely remained silent.

Itachi lazily looked at the mass of snakes coiled around him. "These are very poisonous," he observed, seemingly unconcerned with his predicament. "You should be careful with them around children."

Anko's sadistic smile turned to horror as she felt something press into her back. She didn't have to turn around to know Itachi was now somehow behind her holding a blade to her spine.

"Wha...ah!" Naruto yelled as he felt something slithering around on him. To his alarm, he was covered in snakes from foot to neck and none of them looked particularly happy. "A-Anko!"

Anko slowly lowered her kunai from Kisame's neck with a sigh. "Sharingan," she groaned, "What a cheap bloodline."

Kisame, now away from potential injury, laughed at Anko's characterization. "That's a new one. I've heard 'amazing', 'terrifying,' and 'god-like' but never 'cheap.'"

Itachi ignored his partner and roughly pushed Anko towards Naruto. "Now, have you both had your fill of resisting? You must realize how patient I've been up until now."

Anko's eyes flashed in defiance. "Sorry for the inconvenience!"

Itachi easily blocked the reverse kick aimed at his groin with his knee. This action did allow Anko to leap away from him and over to Naruto, however. She dismissed the snakes, much to Naruto's relief.

"Naruto," she said, making sure to keep her face expressionless. Her lips weren't moving to form the words she was saying, but random words most likely to throw Itachi's eyes off from reading her lips. "I'll distract them for as long as I can while you run. Don't look back, don't try to help. Got that?"

"T-they'll kill you!" Naruto whispered. He couldn't believe what Anko was saying. "We can both run! Come on!"

Anko turned her head to smile at Naruto. "Ah, I won't die here, brat. So..." Naruto let out a yelp as he was picked up like a sack of rice. "...get going!"

As he was flying through the air after being thrown by Anko, Naruto watched in horror as she darted towards the two S-Class criminals. There was no way she could hope to last against them.

_'Why...why do people keep getting hurt for me?!' _Naruto asked himself as he landed hard on the ground, several yards away from the one-sided fight. He started shaking when Kisame landed a hard hit into Anko's gut; they were just toying with her.

_**"BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK BY YOURSELF."**_

Naruto's blood ran cold as the voice boomed in his mind. It was all-consuming and all-encompassing, boring into his fear-laced conscious until there was only the void of the mind and the voice.

The Genin looked around at the familiar throne room he once again found himself in. This is where the creature from before had saved him, albeit with a price, from Tayuya.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked, looking at the back of the room at the massive throne. On it, the same dark figure from before sat motionless.

There was a chuckle, low and foreboding, from the creature. Naruto got the impression it was laughing more at the situation than at him, but the boy couldn't be certain. Regardless, it was deriving a great deal of amusement from something.

_**"I SHOULD ASK YOU THAT, BOY." **_it said. _**"WHAT IS IT YOU DESIRE? WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE UP FOR YOUR WISHES?"**_

Naruto fell back on the floor, exhausted. "I...I..."

_**"YESSSSSSS?" **_the creature drawled, a secret smile etched on its hideous face.

Naruto gulped. He knew he already owed this...thing...a favor from before. How much more was he willing to give? What could he give?

"I...want this all to end," Naruto finally stated. "I want to go back to Konoha with Anko, without any problems."

_**"OH? THAT IS NOT A LIGHT REQUEST," **_the creature laughed, obviously intrigued by the wish._** "THE COST FOR SUCH A THING WOULD BE GREAT. CAN YOU, A MERE CHILD, COMPREHEND WHAT DEBT IS?"**_

"You can have it all!" the boy shouted. "Anything you want, just don't let Anko die! She...she means..."

The creature held up a claw from the darkness, cutting Naruto off. _**"THAT IS ENOUGH. IT SHALL BE DONE AS YOU DESIRE BUT THE COST WILL BE GREAT. ONE DAY YOU WILL HAVE TO SERVE ME. YOU WILL NOT GET A CHOICE WHICH DAY THIS SHALL BE, BUT YOU WILL OBEY ME. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" **_

"Yes!" Naruto shouted, more aware of how long this was taking. If Anko were to die while he was making small talk with some creature from a partial reality... "Please, just do it!"

The being smirked as he waved his hand in an apparent dismissal. _**"IT IS DONE. GO AND NEVER FORGET YOUR DEBT. I ASK FOR YOUR SERVICE ONE DAY..."**_

Naruto nodded with the last bit of his strength, finally falling into unconsciousness. The creature on the throne smirked as the boy faded away, leaving him alone in his throne room.

_**"AND NOW THERE ARE THREE. MY ARMY IS GROWING, WOULD YOU SAY?"**_

Behind the throne, a small fox narrowed its eyes. One day this demon wouldn't be in control. On that day, he'd rip open this little pocket dimension and eat the creature himself. After all, Tengu weren't the only creatures known for their cunning...

Anko grunted as another jab caught her in the ribs. She tired to block the follow-up uppercut, but she was thrown back by the force Kisame had put into it.

The current situation was quite pathetic, in Anko's opinion. Not only was she on the complete defensive against an opponent who was certainly not serious and alone, Itachi was content to just watch his partner beat the shit out of her, Naruto was out cold.

_'Damn brat can't even let me sacrifice myself without screwing it up!' _Anko thought with a scowl. If this continued, Kisame would eventually get tired of playing around and simply cut her in half with his massive zanbatou that was still sitting off to the side where he had left it.

Finally, Kisame caught the woman by her neck and lifted her clear off the ground. "Ah, you always have to catch snakes below the head so they don't bite you."

"Fuck you!" Anko spat as she kicked at Kisame's stomach. The sharkman had already fallen for that once, however, and he wasn't about to get caught by the same trick. That was Hidan's gig.

Itachi grew tired of the show and walked over to Naruto. "Kisame, end this. We have things to do."

"Too bad, and here I wanted to play some more. Oh well, time is wasting."

Anko gritted her teeth as Kisame increased the pressure on her windpipe. There wasn't much she could do; the missing-nin had suddenly revealed the bulk of his power. There was always "that jutsu" but using it would mean...

"Kisame! Stop!"

The words were left hanging in the air for a few moments before the Kiri-nin complied. "What? What's going on, Itachi-san?" he asked, honestly confused.

Itachi was still hovering over Naruto but his eyes were down-right murderous. If looks could kill, or, in Itachi's case, allowed to kill, then Naruto would have been a smoldering crater of black flames. Idly, Kisame noticed that it almost looked like Itachi was talking to Leader-sama when he telepathically called the members...but he couldn't hear anything.

"Drop the girl, Kisame. We're leaving." With that, Itachi hurriedly walked away from Naruto with a deep scowl on his face. He wasn't even waiting on his partner as he jumped into the forest.

Like a lost puppy, Kisame looked between Anko and where Itachi had disappeared to. "But...but...what about the Kyuubi?!" he cried out in vain. "What the hell is going on!"

Anko grunted as she found herself unceremoniously dropped on her butt by a reluctant Kisame. "Don't think this is over!" Kisame stated as he ran over to Samehada. "We'll be back for the Kyuubi, mark my words!"

The Jounin let out a ragged breath as the missing-nin followed his partner into the forest. Although she had absolutely no idea what had just happened, Anko wasn't about to start questioning it. She winced as the cursed seal on her neck painfully snaked back into the Hokage's seal. Just a few more moments and she would have broken it herself to save the brat...

"You caused me a lot of problems, gekki," Anko said as she stumbled over to the unconscious boy. "You take a nap now of all times? I suppose you want me to carry your ass all the way back to Konoha?"

Naruto didn't make any move to answer as Anko hoisted the boy up onto her shoulder. She ran her free hand through his disheveled hair and sighed, although there was a small smile on her lips as she did so.

"I was wrong, Naruto," Anko whispered. "If what happened today didn't break you, then absolutely nothing will. You've really grown up, haven't you? Maybe this trip did some good after all..."

Finally, the weary warrior turned her eyes back towards Konoha. Somewhere, deep down, she felt that a weight had been lifted from both hers and Naruto's shoulders...even if he was still a brat.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Um...are you sure all this paperwork is necessary?" Asuma asked, still in disguise. The mountain of work on his father's desk was taller than he was.

The clerk, a snotty Chuunin that was too wound-up on coffee, adjusted his glasses and frowned. "Of course it is, Hokage-sama!" he declared.

Asuma's eye began to tick as he heard Kurenai stifle a laugh from the door where she was playing guard. She could easily come in here and help, but the Jounin knew she wouldn't just to see him suffer.

'Where the hell is the Hokage? He should have been here hours ago!' the poor man lamented as he started on the massive pile of evil paperwork...

Several blocks away, in a small bar, Kakashi was happily sipping on his favorite brand of mini-bottles. "See, the genius of these things is that they make you feel like a giant when you drink them!"

His drinking companion, none other than Asuma, was having fun putting his entire hand around the tiny bottle. "By the gods...you're right! I feel like I'm twenty feet tall! This is amazing!"

The man was more than a little drunk.

Suddenly, a random thought caught Kakashi. "Hey...don't you have...like...Hokage stuff to do?" he asked, clearly drunk himself.

However, the undercover leader of Konoha shrugged and downed his drink in one gulp. "My son always wanted more responsibility, so I think I can be nice to him and let him have a few more...hours...to play Hokage. Aren't I a great father?"

Kakashi had to agree with the man as he ordered another tray of mini-beers. Asuma was a lucky guy indeed...

* * *

And that's the end of the kidnap arc! Look for the next chapter, a Sakura-centric one, to be out in a week or so. It's also wraps up a few things from this plot arc. After that, it's the Chuunin exams. Yay! 


	18. They Who Are Called Rivals

Not many reviews last chapter. I wonder if it was my writing or that the Sakura chapter scared people off? I guess this chapter, which has a lot of Ino/Sakura in it, won't help any if it's the latter. Anyway, Naruto and Anko make an appearance in this chapter so don't worry too much. Read, review, and enjoy the latest chapter of Black Sheep!

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or any of the characters in this fiction. Not making any money off of it either.

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**Chapter 18: They Who Are Called Rivals  
**

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"Ah, are you sure you're okay, Sakura?" Kakashi asked with his usual lazy drawl. There was a real bit of concern in his voice, however.

Across from him on the wide-open space of Team Seven's training ground, Sakura struggled to stay on her feet. Her chest was heaving dangerously as if she had just ran a marathon race around Konoha. Beside her, stuck in the ground and being used as something to lean on, was the Kubikiri Houcho.

The pink-haired girl, despite her condition, looked up at the Jounin with a razor gaze. "Y-yes! I've got to keep going!" Sakura stated as she tried to lift the large zanbatou from the ground. She managed to get it out of the ground, but no higher than a few inches. "Come on, Kakashi-sensei!"

Despite his concern, Kakashi shrugged and made a seal. **"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."**

With a pop, a replica of Kakashi poofed into existence before the pair. The Bunshin had the same lazy look as it's creator, however. The real Jounin pulled out his Icha Icha book and leaned against a tree. "Ready, Sakura?" he asked, not even bothering to look up from his book. "Begin!"

On Kakashi's words, the Kage Bunshin henged into a copy of a familiar face. Now standing there in place of the Konoha-nin was a tall, lanky man with bandages on his face and a large sword on his back. Momochi Zabuza walked among the living once more, at least appearance-wise.

Seeing the condescending face of the dead missing-nin filled Sakura with the drive to make another attempt at success. With as much energy as she could muster, the small girl tried to rush the bunshin. Being held back by the massive sword, and not having enough adrenalin to force her body to work overtime severely slowed this charge and the clone had no problem parrying the clumsy strike with only it's hands.

Sakura fell to the ground with the Kubikiri Houcho still clutched in her hands. There was no way she could lift the sword, though, and it just laid to her side.

"Dammit!" Sakura cursed through her gasps for breath. She had been training like this for over a week with little improvement. No matter how hard she tried, Sakura couldn't carry the great sword like Zabuza. "Killing Gatou was a fluke..." she mumbled.

Kakashi flipped to another page of his book before dispelling his Zabuza clone. "You can't expect this to happen all at once," he stated. "Zabuza was one of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu so of course he was excellent with that sword."

Sakura gripped the handle of the zanbatou just a little bit harder. _'I have to do this, if I don't...' _she let the thought trail off. Getting up to even a casual level of knowledge in fighting with a sword like the Kubikiri Houcho would be good enough for her to challenge Ino at the Chuunin Exam and win.

"Can we go over the basic forms again?" Sakura asked once she had gotten her wind back.

Kakashi sighed but made no motion to breakup the training session. Instead, he once again summoned a Kage Bunshin to Henge into Zabuza but this time, instead of waiting for an attack, the fake Zabuza drew it's own zanbatou from it's resting place on his back.

Sakura took a deep breath before getting back to her feet. Heaving the massive sword into a read stance, the Genin watched what her "teacher" would do.

The clone ran through some basic swings and Sakura pushed her body to copy them. Each time, the clone would perform the action flawlessly while Sakura's arms would shake from the exertion and mostly flounder as soon as the strike motion was complete. It seemed that Sakura was simply getting through the drills on her grit and determination alone.

Off on the sidelines, Kakashi watched with curiosity as his least-impressive student made impressive strides in the art she was set to master._'Good thing I didn't dump what I learned from watching Zabuza,' _he silently mused.

Contrary to popular belief, the Sharingan wasn't a beat-all tool. The user still had to have good enough memory to remember everything that they copied. Usually, when he had absorbed so much, Kakashi would simply force himself to forget. It was a very good thing Sakura had asked for his help with training before he did so in regards to Zabuza's fighting style.

"Argh!" Sakura grunted in frustration as her sword slipped from her hands after a particularly strenuous move. The young girl rubbed her wrist but made no motion to reclaim her weapon.

Taking that as a sign that she was ready to take a break, Kakashi walked over to her and nonchalantly sat down on the grass beside his student.

Sakura glared at the sword, her hands clenching into fists. "Why can't I get this?" she asked in frustration.

"You're doing well," Kakashi stated. "But you can't expect to suddenly become a master at something simply because you put your mind to it, Sakura. Still, I think you'll make a good showing during the exams." It wasn't a lie on the Jounin's part. Sakura already had enough basic forms learned that she wouldn't look foolish during the exams. There was no denying, however, that she was a girl and as such lacked a natural gift with physical endurance. Moreover, the art she was trying to learn was something not even Sasuke or Neji could cope with at the moment.

The young preteen sighed. What was the point of practicing day and day out if she would never see results? _'I have to get better no matter what! If I don't, I'll always be just background noise to everyone else,'_ Sakura told herself with a shake of her head.

Kakashi, who had misinterpreted the cause of Sakura's sigh and head shake as frustrated exhaustion, closed his book and dispelled the kage bunshin. "Ok, training's over for today, Sakura."

The young girl looked ready to protest before Kakashi fixed her with a glare from his visible eye. "Working yourself to death won't suddenly make you into a little Zabuza," he said, surprising Sakura enough that she didn't argue. "It's going to take you years regardless of how hard you train. Go home and relax, you did good today."

With that, the Jounin Shunshin'd away from the clearing leaving Sakura to simmer with annoyance.

Still grumbling to herself about lazy, porn-reading, teachers, Sakura pulled out a scroll she had in her pouch and unrolled it on the ground beside her. Heaving the massive Kubikiri Houcho onto the paper, Sakura ran through a few handseals before slamming her palm onto the blade.

A plumb of smoke exploded from the paper and in an instant, the zanbatou was sealed inside of the scroll. While it didn't look anywhere near as intimidating to pull out a scroll in a fight, it saved Sakura a great deal of energy that she would spend carting the massive weapon around. It also allowed her to stay inconspicuous on the streets of Konoha.

"There, much better," Sakura stated as she rolled the scroll back up. For a moment, she inspected her clothes and frowned slightly. Her usual red dress and shorts weren't really suited to her new fighting style and she couldn't carry around the Kubikiri Houcho on her back even if she wanted to. "Since Kakashi called off training today, I might as well shop for some new clothes," she thought aloud as she headed towards the village.

Shopping to Sakura was one of her few guilty pleasures. Even though the pink-haired girl had never had many friends to shop with, it was still fun. Seeing as her last mission to wave had been upgraded to A-Rank, Sakura found she had quite a bit of extra money for this trip.

After a quick trip home for a shower and change of clothes, Sakura was off to downtown Konoha. Thankfully her mother wasn't home to give her another lecture on spending her money wisely, those were always a bore.

'_Okay, I need to make a list of things I need to get,_' Sakura mentally told herself. She needed something light and free so her arms don't get held back by fabric when she swings her sword. Zabuza had simply ran around without a top but Sakura instantly ruled out that option.

A display of fishnet tops in a store window caught her attention. Konoha wasn't very cold so that wouldn't be a problem. A simple sports bra or chest wrap underneath would be all that was needed. Besides, that crazy Jounin that sometimes bothered her sensei wore fishnet so it wasn't a rare thing. The fact that there was a sale going on at that store sealed the deal.

Sakura walked inside the shop and tried to find an attendant. However, being the walking sharks that they are, the attendant found the girl first.

"Can I help you find something?" a blonde woman in her twenties asked as she walked up to Sakura.

"I'd like to buy a few of those fishnet shirts you have in the window," Sakura explained.

For a moment, the attendant simply looked the younger girl over with an appraising eye before something in particular caught her attention. "You're a ninja?" she asked, motioning to the forehead protector Sakura wore as a ribbon.

Blushing a bit from embarrassment, Sakura nodded. "A Genin."

"Right this way, then!" the clerk chirped as she led her customer to the back of the store. "This is where we keep our shinobi wardrobe."

Curious, Sakura followed. The back of the store was more lackluster and bleak with most of the same items she had seen before. The blonde clerk was standing next to a rack of fishnet tops that didn't look any different from those up front.

As she took a few tops to try out from the rack, Sakura had to ask, "What's different about the clothes back here? It all looks the same to me."

"The items at the front are made for a civilian life, these are made for a shinobi one. Stronger, longer lasting, and even some extra pockets."

Sakura nodded in understanding as she felt the fabric of the top she was holding. It did seem fairly sturdy for something made out of fishnet mesh. "Can I try these on?" she asked.

The attended nodded and pointed to a lone stall at the back of the room. Sakura thanked her and started to walk back when another item sparked her attention. Sitting on one of the shelves were the same type of camouflage pants Zabuza had been wearing. A blue color was a rare thing to see in Konoha.

"Do you have these in my size?" Sakura asked as she held up the pants in question.

The attendant blinked a few times before looking at another shelf of pants. "I think…yes, here they are," she said in triumph. "You do know that these are boy's clothes, right?" she asked with a confused look.

Sakura shrugged. "Pants hold up longer and protect my legs," Sakura said with a serious look. The woman only shook her head as she handed over the clothing.

Inside the dressing room, the pink-haired girl tried on her new outfit. The pants, while a bit baggy, fit her well and the sports bra she had on underneath her dress worked well with the fishnet top. When she saw herself in the mirror, Sakura had to giggle.

"Oh Kami, I look like a…a…prostitute!" she laughed. Sakura raised her arms and tested them for motion. She could easily pivot her arms around to her back without any resistance from her clothing. "Not bad."

After her purchase was made, Sakura stepped out onto the street in her new clothes. A few people gave her looks, but upon seeing her forehead protector, they backed off.

Sakura noticed the looks and wondered what the were. She had never gotten any notice before. With a start, she realized what people were looking at. _'My forehead protector?' _she wondered. _'No one ever noticed it before…'_

Now, it was with a new sense of pride that Sakura found herself with as she walked down the streets of Konoha. While a few people were giving her looks based on her new wardrobe, many more giving her a respectful distance. So caught up with her newfound social status was she, that Sakura didn't even notice what shop she was about to walk into before it was too late.

Yamanaka Ino was not a happy kunoichi. It was only a petty two days before the Chuunin exams and she was without a training partner. Her team...she scoffed at the idea. Shikamaru was too lazy to do anything and Choji couldn't help her any at all. As it was, she couldn't even leave her family's flower shop unless she had something ninja-related to do. No mission or team business meant no get out of work free card.

"Stupid Naruto," Ino grumbled. She didn't understand what was going on with him at all. Ever since he had come back slumped over Anko's shoulder, things had changed. He no longer trained alone; he was either with Kakashi or Anko all the time. It was, frankly, getting annoying to hear Naruto always laugh and joke with Anko.

The blonde idly tapped her fingers on the shop's countertop as her mind mulled over the strange Special Jounin. Things had definitely changed. The two were often seen walking around Konoha together either marauding dango/ramen stands or being a general pestilence to their friends. In fact, there were all kinds of rumors going around...

Ino was pulled out of her thoughts by the door to the shop opening with a jingle of bells. At least a customer would get her mind off things, the young girl thought as she looked up with a smile. The smile faded when she saw the person standing there or, in this case, the lack thereof.

"Hello?" Ino called out as she stepped from behind the counter. When no one immediately answered, the young Genin started looking around the shelves and aisles for whatever or whoever had tripped the bell.

Behind one of the large coolers used for keeping flowers fresh, Sakura repeatedly cursed herself. Of all the shops to casually wander into, this was the absolute worst. How could she not notice it was the Yamanaka Flower Shop? Sure, she wanted to get back into Ino's life but she hadn't counted on doing so this quickly. When Ino's footsteps grew closer, the pink-haired girl reacted on instinct.

A sudden popping sound suddenly caught Ino's attention. Now on alert, the blonde rushed over to one of the refrigerator units and pulled a kunai. "I don't know who you are, but come out right now!" she ordered. When nothing happened, Ino took a look behind the unit only to find an empty space. Shaking her head, Ino put away her weapon.

"Having problems?"

The girl reacted on instinct and her fist went into motion in a sweeping arc as she spun around.

A hand shot out and caught Ino's fist before it could make contact. The strong grip made the Genin pull her kunai with her free hand and she stabbed at her opponent. Amazingly, this attack was caught as well in another strong hand.

"Whoa! Calm down!"

"Why you little…!" Ino stopped her abuse when she looked up into the face of her "assailant."

There, looking down at her with a cocky smile, was a handsome boy that looked no older than she. He had long, black hair, sharp teeth, and piercing green eyes. What really stood out, however, was the form-fitting fishnet shirt that left his chest bare and the Kirigakure forehead protector draping lazily over the side of his head.

"Who are you? What are you doing in here?!" she barked, ripping her hands from the stranger with no resistance.

"I'm just here to look for some flowers," the Kiri-nin responded with a chuckle. As to make a point, the shinobi sauntered around the shop looking at various displays. "What can you recommend?"

Still dubious of her customer's motives, Ino walked over to a bin of old flowers. "These old, withered, ones would suit you," the young girl huffed.

To Ino's surprise, the Kiri-nin laughed. "Not a very good sales pitch, you must not get a lot of business."

"Yeah, well, most of my customers don't sneak around my shop," Ino shot back.

The Kiri-nin merely shrugged. "I wanted to see how good the competition would be before the exam, you can't blame me," the young man responded. "It took you long enough to find me and I managed to disarm you, I hope that's not all you've got."

"Ha, I wasn't even being serious," the blonde answered with a smirk of her own. "So you're here for the exam? Where's the rest of your team?"

The ninja looked panicked for a moment, but quickly covered it up. "Oh, they're probably lurking around somewhere. They're a secretive bunch."

Ino nodded her head in understanding. Most Kiri-nin were that way from what limited experience she had with them. "Yeah, well, just don't go causing any trouble around the village. ANBU isn't as nice as I am," she warned. "Can you tell me your name or is that secret Kirigakure information?" Ino asked with an amused smile.

Tilting his head in thought, the shinobi pondered the question for a bit before answering. "My name is…Haku."

"Well, good to meet you, Haku," Ino said in a friendly voice. "I'm Yamanaka Ino, welcome to Konoha." The young Genin thought for a moment and smirked. "You know, I could should you around the village a bit if you want," Ino offered.

The Kiri-nin's eyes widened. "A-Ah, that won't really be-"

"It's no problem!" Ino said, cutting him off. "I was looking for an excuse to get out of working anyway, come on!"

'_Oh Kami, what have I gotten into?' _the henged Sakura wondered as her former best friend and rival dragged her out the door...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

"Hey brat, you're pushing it a bit much for a former invalid," Anko scoffed as Naruto continued to spar with his snake-like clone.

Naruto dodged a jab from Orochi and tried to pull a feint by twitching his leg. It didn't work as the transformed snake was much too clever for something like that and Naruto was rewarded by a welt forming from a counter backhand.

"Obviously being in that hospital for a few days has made you lethargic," Orochi stated. He knew Naruto was never very good with taijutsu, but this was beyond sad. "Can't you even hit me without those eyes of yours?"

The blond mumbled something about a handicap as he blocked a few shots from Orochi. Anko had ordered him not to use the Sharingan because, she reasoned, that it made him dependent on it. If that weren't enough, the woman had also made it a no weapons, no jutsu fight. Pure, grueling, taijutsu.

"Hebi-chan, if you think you can beat him without anything, I'd like to see it," the boy grumbled.

Anko, who was lazily sprawled out in the grass, mearly waved him off. "I don't have to prove anything. I'm already a Jounin, you're a Genin. See the difference?" she asked, snickering at her student's plight.

"Don't you mean _Special _Jounin?" Naruto asked. He grinned when Anko flinched. "What does a_Special _Jounin do again, Anko-chan? I forgot."

When said Special Jounin didn't answer, Orochi felt the need to pick up the slack. "It's a honorary title given to Chuunin that specialize in a single area. Despite the age difference, she's technically only one rank above you."

Naruto chuckled when Anko actually sat up to glare at an unrepentant Orochi. "Not for long, Orochi. The Chuunin Exams are starting in a few days and Gai-sensei said he's going to enter us. If I really do well, I could be promoted above Hebi-chan over there."

"Alright, that's it!" Anko bellowed as she jumped up. "I'll show you what this Special Jounin can do! Come here!"

And thus was the site that greeted Gai's team as they walked into the training area. Naruto being strangled by a furious Anko with Orochi laughing to himself off to the side.

"Yosh! Such vigorous training!" Gai shouted.

Tenten sighed and shook her head. "Gai-sensei, it looks more like Anko is trying to kill him. I think you should break it up before Naruto gets brain damage or something."

Lee, however, seemed to take offense to this and rushed out in front of his two teammates, blocking their path. "No! Pain is the path to progress! This is obviously a special bonding exorcize between Naruto-kun and Anko-san! It must not be interrupted!"

"Um, he's starting to gag..." Tenten mumbled.

"Lee! Your youthful wisdom has prevented me from making a grave error!" Gai said, his mind blocking out his other student's observation.

"Now he's turning blue..."

Lee started to tear up as Naruto's gagging noises provided a backdrop to the dramatic scene. "Gai-senseiiiiii!"

"Leeeeee!"

Tenten walked past her sobbing team with a sigh. Those two were such children sometimes. "Anko-san, please don't kill Naruto yet. We need him for the exam."

"Trai...tor..." Naruto gasped out as he clawed at Anko's vice-like grip with little effect.

The Special Jounin blinked a few times before releasing the Genin in her clutches. "Oh, you're right. They do use the team thing these days, don't they?"

Naruto coughed and hacked as he greedily breathed in that beloved air. "Y-you know that they do, crazy woman! You're one of the examiners!"

Anko modestly laughed. "Ah, it's not as important as it sounds. I just have to set some things up and thin out the herd."

"Thin out the herd? You make us sound like cattle..." Naruto mumbled as he rubbed his neck. Anko didn't answer and it was obvious by the gleam in her eyes that she was going to enjoy torturing the poor Genins unfortunate enough to pass the first round.

By this time, Gai and Lee had finished their moment and the leader of Team Two gave Naruto a thumbs-up. "You are looking well, Naruto-kun! Your youthful stamina serves you well!"

Tenten was far more sensible in her appraisal as she helped Naruto to his feet. "As dramatic as that was, Gai-sensei has a point. Should you really be training only a day getting out of the hospital? I mean, you were kidnapped for kami-sama's sake!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head out in embarrassment as Tenten checked his neck. "Ah, Hebi-chan has me taking it slow. She won't teach me any jutsu or anything!" he whined. "I want to know how you did that cool come up from the ground jutsu you used on Kisame!"

"That isn't something a Genin needs to know!" Anko snapped but her voice was jovial. "I'll teach it to you after the exams or something."

Gai could only smile at the way the two were getting along now. He was worried that Naruto would feel neglected from losing so much training with the rest of the team due to his hospital stay, but it seems those fears were unfounded.

"It's good that you're recouping so well, Naruto," Gai said in a surprisingly subdued voice with Lee nodding in agreement.

Naruto smiled back at his teacher. It was times like this when he was really happy to have Gai as an instructor. When the man wasn't putting on such a show he was all right.

"Okay, okay, you guys are breaking our training here," Anko bluntly stated. Partly because of that, and partly because she didn't like the way that Tenten girl was fawning over her student.

As if the Green Beast inside of him was awoken at the mere thought of training, Gai pumped his fist in the air. "Yoooooooooosh! That is why we're here! I was going to try and teach my wonderful students a special technique! One so dangerous, I myself only learned it when I became a Chuunin!"

Tenten and Naruto gave each other a slightly frightened look. It was going to be one of those "interesting" days, they could tell.

"Gai," Anko cut in, tapping her foot in annoyance. "I am not going to let you teach Naruto the Lotus."

Said Jounin's excitement deflated at the declaration. "But, it's only one little technique..." he tried to reason.

"No! I couldn't even learn that thing and I had a Sannin teaching me!" Anko declared, ignoring the surprised looks coming from the Genin. "Besides, we both know the only person here that can actually learn it in your team is Lee. Stop trying to be so nice."

Gai's head drooped as Anko hit the nail on the head. Naruto didn't want to leave it at that, though.

"Why can't I learn it, Hebi-chan?!" the boy demanded. He winced as Tenten elbowed him in the ribs. "A-and Tenten! Why can't we _both_learn it?"

With a snort, Anko pointed to a large dead tree sitting off to the side of the field. "Can either of you kick that thing up into the air?" When the both shook their head, she shrugged. "Then you can't learn the Lotus. Come on, lets go get lunch while these two kill themselves."

Tenten and Naruto watched Anko walk away, then they looked back to the massive tree she had pointed out. "Well, good luck with that, Lee!" Naruto shouted as he ran to catch up with Anko.

"Yeah, we know you can do it!" Tenten said as she too ran off to do some solo training. Neither of them wanted to get caught by Gai and roped into attempting the insane feat of strength...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

'_How did I let Ino talk me into this?'_

To Sakura's dismay, the pair of former rivals were now sitting in a local bistro over lunch. After a lengthy tour of the city, Ino had insisted upon treating her "new friend" to a meal. Now, they were sitting around chatting.

"Hey, you alright, Haku?" Ino asked. "You spaced out for a while there. I think I'm more interesting than that," the young girl said with a laugh.

Sakura tried her best to smirk but she was certain the unease showed in her demeanor. "Ah, I'm just nervous with all these people around," 'Haku' responded. Trying her best to act nonchalant, Sakura leaned back in her booth and spread out her legs like a guy would do. "Not used to peace like this in Kirigakure."

"Yeah, I heard some things about that," Ino said as she popped a piece of barbeque into her mouth. "The 'Bloody Mist' or something, right?"

The young man nodded; that matched up with what Zabuza had said about his experiences in Kiri. "It changed a few years ago, though," Sakura added.

The pair continued eating with an odd silence hanging over the table. Ino could tell that her new friend was nervous about something despite how laidback he seemed. She figured that since a few of the Chuunin and Jounin had been looking at him strangely that Haku was getting uncomfortable.

'_Guess I'll have to relax him a bit…' _Ino thought with a smirk. Suddenly feeling a bit adventurous, Ino hopped up from her seat and moved over to the side of the booth Sakura was sitting at.

Sakura nearly choked on her food when Ino suddenly sat next to her. "W-what are you doing?" she asked.

"Hmm? I'm just getting comfortable," Ino said in an innocent tone.

When the blonde started to actually move in closer, Sakura had sat through enough. "Uh, I think I should-"

"Ino? Is that you?"

Before Sakura could finish her statement, she was interrupted by the arrival of the absolute last person she wanted to see.

Naruto quickly took the empty side of the booth while with Anko crowding in after him. The older Jounin raised an eyebrow at Sakura and smirked. The disguised Genin got the impression that she was as transparent as glass to the woman.

"Naruto!" Ino said in surprise, ignoring Anko. "What've you been up to?"

The young Uchiha shrugged and pilfered one of the barbeque pieces from the grill. "Training for the exams, what else?" he laughed. When Anko stole said pilfered meat from him, he frowned and took notice of the disguised Sakura. "Who's your...friend?"

"This," Ino began, "is Haku. He's from Kirigakure for the exams."

Anko swallowed the BBQ piece and looked Haku over. "Kirigakure, huh? What island?" There was a hint of amusement in the woman's voice.

Slightly panicked, Sakura fished around her brain for a response. Obviously Naruto's crazy teacher was trying to catch her in a lie so she had to come up with something believable. If it were any other Genin, Sakura was certain they would have come up blank.

"The southern island, Shima. My parents moved to the main island when I started the academy."

For a moment, Anko looked surprised at the answer. Maybe she was reconsidering what she thought she knew?

Regardless, the purple-haired woman still seemed dubious of the "Kiri-nin's" validity but she kept it to herself. After all, it would be more fun to simply let things play out.

Seeking to break the odd atmosphere, Ino spoke up. "Oh, Naruto! Did you hear about Sasuke-kun?" she asked. When the boy shook his head, she continued. "He was on a mission to wave and the entire team was attacked by a missing-nin!"

"Really? What happened?" Naruto asked with Sakura taking an obvious interest. Even Anko, who liked to think that she was past such things as Genin gossip, discreetly listened in while trying to look bored.

"Well, I heard Asuma-sensei talking about it earlier and he said that Momochi Zabuza was hired by some guy in Wave to kill the guy Sasuke-kun's team was supposed to guard."

At this point, Sakura couldn't hold in her excitement and jumped into the conversation. "Momochi Zabuza?" she asked. "He was an A-Class Missing-nin from my village," Sakura lied. "Do you know who killed him?"

The question caused Ino to scoff. "That's the crazy thing," she said. "Asuma-sensei said _Sakura _killed him if you can believe it."

"Sakura?" Naruto repeated before anyone else could comment on it. "That girl who used to follow you around?" he laughed.

By this time, Sakura was holding onto the side of the table hard enough to crack some of the wood. "What's so funny?" she hissed. "Zabuza was one of the strongest Jounin from Kiri."

Naruto waved the hostility off, however. "Yeah, but Haruno Sakura isn't the kind of ninja that could take out someone like that even if she got lucky."

That was the last straw for Sakura. "Hey-!"

"Hey, Naruto! She isn't that bad!" Ino shouted over the henged kunoichi. "I mean, sure she's annoying and weak, but she's not totally useless," the blonde quasi-defended. "At least she's like a walking encyclopedia behind that forehead, that's always helpful!"

Naruto shrugged. He was about to say more on the subject but Anko let out a long, obvious, yawn. "Okay, kiddies. As entertaining as this is, I'm going to drag this idiot off to have lunch. We still have more training to do."

The blond Genin nodded and slipped out of the booth after Anko. "I've got to weasel out some jutsu from Hebi-chan later so I'll leave you two to your date," Naruto laughed, ignoring the scoff Anko gave him in response.

As the pair left, Sakura was still trying to wrap her mind around what Naruto had said. _'A DATE?! What the hell was that?!' _she mentally screamed at herself. When she looked over to her side, she found, to her abject horror, that Ino was looking right at her with a slight blush. _'Kami-sama, she's…she's…' _

"I-Ino! I've got to go!" Sakura stuttered as she tried to climb out of the booth. She was getting a great deal of strange looks from the various people in the restaurant but she didn't care. Ignoring the looks, Sakura flipped over the booth and made for the exit.

'_I can't believe this!' _Sakura mentally screamed as she ran out the door. She could hear Ino calling after her but she didn't stop. One quick leap up onto a shop's overhanging ledge and another to the rooftops and Sakura was rushing along the tops of Konoha's buildings to escape the unsavory truth. Her former best friend and rival was attracted to her henged self.

'_It's not you, Sakura, it's not! It's Haku!' _she told herself. No matter how many times she told herself that, however, Sakura couldn't shake the way Ino had looked at her.

"Oh, Sakura."

The words instantly caused the girl to freeze. In front of her, leaning against a chimney, was Hatake Kakashi looking as lazy as ever. The Jounin was reading his favorite book but he did pause long enough to look up at his disguised student. "You might want to drop the henge before ANBU arrests you for causing a disturbance."

Sakura looked behind herself, half expecting Ino or a masked ANBU to be standing there. To her considerable relief, the rooftop was empty except for the Jounin and herself so she relaxed the chakra flowing around her form and shifted back to a small, pink-haired, kunoichi.

"Nice clothes," Kakashi stated once the henge was down. "Going for the Anko look?"

"Fishnet works better than fabric, Sensei!" Sakura defended. "And you're too old to be looking that closely anyway!"

Kakashi coughed several times and had the decency to look back down at his book rather than his angry student. "So, what's with the act?" he asked, changing the subject.

Now it was time for Sakura be sheepish. "I-it was all a mistake," Sakura stated. "I was…um…spying on Ino before the exam! You know, look at the competition."

"Uh huh." It was glaringly obvious that he didn't buy that excuse. "How about what shook you up so much that you alerted almost every ANBU in Konoha? Not to mention you caused a scene at a local Jounin hangout."

Sakura didn't immediately answer. "Um, well…Ino kinda…took a _liking_to my henged self…" she admitted, blushing red as a tomato.

Kakashi only blinked for a few seconds. "Wait…Yamanaka Ino has the hots for you?" he asked with a barely-suppressed giggle.

The kunoichi didn't know what was more disturbing; Ino having a crush on her alter ego or her teacher using slang. "Kakashi-sensei, she only liked the henge. Don't make this into something you'd read out of your perverted books!"

"Ah…" Kakashi scratched the back of his neck. "If that's all you say it is, just don't cause problems before the exam. Everyone is on edge right now because of the foreign ninja in the city."

Sakura nodded in understanding. "Sorry, it was just a spur of the moment thing. It won't happen again."

Satisfied that Sakura seemed to be somewhat apologetic, Kakashi nodded and closed his book. "Well, just be more careful next time. If you want to gather some information like that again, try not to act so suspicious. A Genin-level henge is nothing a Chuunin or Jounin can't get around so they know it'll be you."

Sakura nodded again but Kakashi wasn't paying attention. Something behind Sakura had caught his attention. Slowly, the pink-haired Genin turned around and found, once again, that the one person she had wanted to avoid had caught up.

"Sakura? Kakashi?" Ino asked, confused. "What are you two doing up here? Where's Haku?"

It was at this point that Kakashi closed his book. "Well, I think you get the gist of what I'm talking about, Sakura," he stated. Then, with what Sakura instantly recognized was a slight chuckle in his voice, he added, "As they say, three's a crowd. Have fun you two." With that, the Jounin Shunshin'd away in a swirl of leaves leaving a confused Ino and irate Sakura alone on the roof.

Ino just stared at her former friend in confusion before shaking her head. "That guy is weird," she decided. "Anyway, Sakura, did you see a tall, good-looking guy come through here? He was wearing fishnet…kinda like yours, actually."

"Uh, yeah!" Sakura blurted out. "I was up here training with Kakashi-sensei and he ran through here! He said something about being late for a team meeting."

The youngest Yamanaka grunted in frustration. "Guys are all such pigs! He could have said he had a meeting before going nuts like that and leaving," she sighed. "Why are all the cute guys crazy?"

Sakura nearly gagged at the last line. "C-cute?" she gulped. "W-w-what about Sasuke-kun?"

"Oh, I'm still going to get Sasuke in the end," Ino replied, smirking at the other girl. Even though she had given up as seeing Sakura as a rival, it was still fun to get under her old friend's skin from time to time. "I just want to have some fun before I settle down."

"Just fun?" Sakura asked as if the phrase was alien to her. "That's really all it is to you?"

Ino raised an eye at the girl. "What's it to you?" she asked once she realized Sakura was getting somewhat angry.

Even Sakura didn't know why she was getting upset. Ino's words had just set her off for some reason. "You're just going to use Haku for your own fun and then toss him off for some other guy later?" Sakura ranted. "I don't believe you!"

Ino was taken aback. "We're young, Sakura, go live a little."

Sakura's fists were balled tight and her lip trembling in rage. "You…you…you!" The young girl couldn't get her thoughts together. When Ino only stood there looking confused and annoyed, it was the last straw. "You pig!"

The blonde girl's confused annoyance turned into shock as Sakura near-instantly closed the distance between them. Ino had to dodge quick as a fist sailed through the air her face had previously occupied. However, she couldn't move fast enough to block the follow-up knee strike which caught her under the chin.

Ino's entire jaw shook with the impact and she was sent flying back several feet before she skidded to a stop. When Ino wrenched her neck back down to glare at Sakura, she was met with the same burning look in Sakura's eyes.

"What the hell was that, Sakura?!" Ino demanded. Her fury intensified as she felt a trickle of blood fall from her lip. "Are you nuts?!"

Sakura glared back. "Shut up, Ino!" she yelled back. "I'm sick of your attitude!"

"My 'attitude' isn't your business, Sakura!" Ino shot back. She dropped into a fighting stance in anticipation of something happening. "You know you can't beat me in anything, that includes war and love! Just give up."

The pink-haired kunoichi also got into a ready stance. "Oh yeah, Ino-buta? I think it is when you try to throw yourself at one of my friends!" It was a lie, but it was better than trying to pin down the real reason for her fury.

"Throw myself at him? Are you nuts? He was all over me!" Ino shouted back.

Sakura gasped in disbelief. "That's a lie, pig! You were flirting with him all day and you know it!"

Ino's eyes narrowed. There was just something about Sakura that could always get her blood boiling in no time at all. "So what if I was? Like I said before, it's none of your business!"

"And I'm saying it is, Ino-buta!" Sakura answered back.

The two glared at each other, alone on the rooftop. Sakura was near tears with frustration and Ino was bathed in righteous indignation. On an unheard signal, the two started the match which had been brewing for over a year.

From the outset, Ino showed how much more raw combat experience she had amassed from being one of the most touted kunoichi in her class. Sakura, despite the lucky hit she had gotten in pre-battle, was constantly on the defensive. Her academy-taught Taijutsu was no match for the professional efficiency Ino was showing.

A solid punch easily lifted Sakura off her feet. Sensing the opportunity, Ino leapt into the air and scissor kicked Sakura in the stomach, planting her into the ground on her back.

"Satisfied, Sakura? I don't want to hurt you that much but you need to stop butting into my life," Ino ordered as she skidded to a stop a few feet away. Seeing that Sakura was still going to get back up, the blonde took a deep breath and finally gave voice to a frustration over a year in the making. "You always do this, Sakura! You've been like this ever since the academy! Always following me around, always trying to get back into my life. I'm sick of it!"

Sakura pushed herself off the ground with a grunt. This was the last thing she wanted to hear at the moment. "Shut up, Ino…" she warned.

The young Yamanaka, however, shook her head. "No! You're going to listen to me! First was Sasuke, then it was our rivalry, now it's this! When are you going to stop, Sakura?!" she demanded.

"How can you say that…" Sakura said in a low voice as she got back to her feet. Ino didn't notice it, but the kunoichi was fingering a very distinctive scroll in her weapons pouch. "How can you say that when it was you who first butted into MY life?!"

Ino was surprised by the sudden fire in her opponents eyes. "That was different," she argued. "It was-"

"It was not different!" Sakura shouted over the other girl. "You took me in and then forgot about me! You betrayed me! How could you, Ino?!" Sakura asked as her voice rose a few pitches.

Ino's eyes narrowed and set her jaw. "You betrayed me first," she said, stopping Sakura cold. "I did take you in, Sakura! you were my best friend, and what did you do? YOU betrayed ME. You can't say this to me when you were the one who ended it, Sakura!"

It was then that Sakura's eyes lost all fire and defiance. "What…what if I don't want that anymore, Ino?" Sakura asked as her arms dropped limply to her sides. Reality had thrown a bucket of cold water on her resolve.

"Are you willing to give up Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked. "If you aren't then we haven't settled anything, have we?" she asked in a stone cold tone.

When Sakura weighed having Sasuke to herself and having her best friend back, when she seriously considered it, the answer shocked the girl. However, Sakura was not ready to give those stray, traitorous, thoughts voice or attention. Not yet.

"Then I guess…we'll have to do this like we always do," Sakura stated in a dead tone. "Because Sasuke-kun is, and always was, mine."

Ino's expression turned hard at Sakura's answer. "Sakura, I told you once that you can't and won't beat me. You never will. You're not even worth my time anymore."

Sakura and Ino stared at each other for a few moments, betrayal and frustration mirrored on both of their faces. Sakura, however, seemed more put out than Ino.

"Still not up to your standards, huh?" Sakura snarled, finding some of the resolve she had discovered inside herself during the mission to Wave. "What's it going to take, Ino? What's it going to take for you to take me seriously again?!"

As an answer to the question, Ino relaxed her stance and smirked. Then, the other shoe dropped. "Sakura…I never took you seriously."

In that single instant, everything stopped for Sakura. Her eyes widened, her muscles went lax, her mind went blank. Every single moment of happiness from her childhood with the girl standing before her shattered like glass dashed upon the ground. When time finally caught back up to her, Sakura had already pulled the scroll from her pouch.

Ino watched with disbelief as the scroll erupted in a cloud of smoke. "A summoning jutsu?!" Ino hissed. Her eyes widened by several degrees as the smoke cleared. "Sakura…what…"

"Is this enough for you, Ino?!" Sakura shrieked with rage as she heaved the Kubikiri Houcho onto her shoulder. Oddly, it's weight felt comforting to the pink-haired girl. Like a shield to hide her swirling emotions behind.

Ino narrowed her eyes. "Am I supposed to be impressed? So you have a ridiculously-sized sword, big deal."

Sakura didn't give her the chance to say anything more. Sakura, in an impressive burst of speed, closed the distance. A wide slice cut the chimney Kakashi had been leaning on cleanly in half. Ino barely had time to leap into the air as Sakura's reverse swing sailed under her feet.

In an amazing feat of acrobatics, Ino twister her body and delivered a missile kick that caught Sakura in the shoulder. With the weight of the zanbatou, the kick sent her off-balance and Ino was eager to press her attack.

"You're mine!" Ino yelled as she bared down on Sakura. The other Genin wasn't so easily dealt with, however. In her own moment of insight, Sakura slammed the tip of her sword down into the roof and used it as a springboard to launch her own kick from.

Zabuza's pilfered maneuver had the desired affect and the kick sent Ino sprawling. However, that momentum was lost when Sakura took time to lift her sword back onto her shoulder. Ino rallied and caught Sakura with a desperate shoulder tackle. Both girls rolled around struggling with each other for advantage. By a stroke of luck, Sakura manage to catch Ino's hands and pin her to the roof.

"Give up, Ino!" Sakura stated as she used her weight to keep Ino pinned. The blonde looked up at her former friend with defiance. Her eyes were no longer dead and listless, they were wild and raging. To her surprise, she found the look mirrored in Sakura's own.

"It's not over yet, Sakura!" Ino shouted back. To Sakura's surprise, Ino closed her eyes and concentrated. "_**Heapou: Genzon**_ _**Buki**_!"

Sakura shrieked as Ino's hair sprang to life and wrapped around her neck. Sakura tried to fight back, but the force of the jutsu was too much and she was forced back. Ino quickly got to her feet and put more chakra into her hair.

"Like it, Sakura?" Ino asked. "This is the secret art that I made myself!" Ino bragged. "This is the gap between us! No matter what kind of toys you have, it won't ever be enough," she stated. Leveling off the amount of chakra, the blonde kept a tight hold on her opponent. "Now, give up!"

Gritting her teeth, Sakura pulled hard at Ino's hair, making the girl go lose her footing. It bought enough time for Sakura to pull out a kunai to cut at the blonde locks constricting her.

Ino grunted as chakra to part of her hair was severed. She was even more enraged that her hair was now a tiny bit uneven.

Sakura tried to made her way to the Kubikiri Houcho. _'Damn that Ino!' _Sakura thought to herself as she watched her opponent. _'She's too fast for me. Every time I try and lift the zanbatou she catches up. I have to think of something new...'_

She wasn't given any more time to deliberate, however, as Ino pressed her attack once again making Sakura abandon getting to her sword. Punches and kicks were exchanged and Sakura could at the very least keep Ino busy until the other girl brought her hair back into the equation. To Sakura's frustration, it was as if Ino had added another appendage and she was losing ground and stamina at an amazing rate.

Once again, Ino showed her superior skills by catching Sakura with an elbow smash that sent her opponent flailing backwards. Sakura hit her sword with a thud and slid down to the ground with Ino looming over her.

"Are you ready to give up yet, Forehead girl?" Ino asked in a haughty voice.

Sakura felt around behind her until she grasped the lowest end of her sword. "Not yet, Ino-buta!"

With her last reserves of energy, Sakura pulled forward on the zanbatou until the blade hit her back. Ino was hit squarely in the head by the long handle of the Kubikiri Houcho as a result. As she stumbled back, Sakura regained the proper hold on her sword and sent it streaking towards Ino's neck. Not wanting to actually kill the other girl, Sakura made sure that the arch in the blade would be the part to actually hit her opponent's neck.

Ino, however, was not that easy to subdue. In a flash, her hair had taken on a razor-sharp edge. As she fell with the blade, Ino's foot lashed out and caught Sakura's ankle so that they both fell. Even with her head pinned by the heavy blade, Ino's hair still found it's mark and wrapped itself around Sakura's neck. Now, the two Genin found themselves in a face-to-face battle of wills.

"Give up!" both girls demanded in tandem.

"Ridiculous! I have you!" Ino stated as she tensed her hair to drive that point home. With so much chakra in it, she could mold the strands into razor wire should she will it.

Sakura returned the favor as she put just a little more weight on the Kubikiri Houcho. The arch pushed into the roof and the bladed inside of the arch pressed into Ino's neck. "I think you should submit, Ino," Sakura hissed as she leaned in closer to the captured girl.

Ino willed her hair into a series of spikes which dug into Sakura's neck. "I don't submit to anyone, Sakura," she hissed back. "If you push that blade down I'll draw my hair with it and we both die."

As Ino strained upwards against the blade, Sakura pushed down against Ino's hair until the pair were nose to nose. They stared into one other for a few moments until Ino finally decided to stop playing and end the fight even if it meant more injury on her part.

Before Sakura could even realize it, the blonde girl's hair lost it's dangerous spikes and constricted as a solid mass. The resulting sudden loss of air and blood made Sakura's eyes go wide and for a moment, Ino expected to feel the cold steel of the zanbatou dig even deeper into her neck. That action never came, though, and a second later Sakura was forced to release the stagnate air in her lungs. With no more air to breath combined with the lost of blood to her brain, the pink-haired girl succumbed to the embrace of unconsciousness.

Ino finally let out the breath she had been holding and cut the chakra from her hair. "Geeze, that was rough," the Genin whined as she shifted Sakura's weight. Once Sakura's head and hands were off of her sword, Ino pushed the massive blade away from her neck and winced as it hit the roof with a loud clatter. "And this thing weights a ton!"

For a moment, Ino gave way to weariness and stayed sprawled out on the rooftop. Although she didn't want to admit it, looking down at Sakura's face laying on her chest Ino had to admit that she looked peaceful. The look was a far cry from the shinobi Sakura had just shown she could be.

"You really surprised me, Forehead Girl..." Ino whispered as she brushed a few stray locks of pink hair from Sakura's face. In response, the young girl shifted her head into Ino's hand and the blonde froze. "Sakura..."

"Eh, Ino, are you done yet?"

The voice served to snap Ino out of whatever cloud of thoughts she was in and she quickly pushed her former opponent off her body. The sudden jolt didn't wake Sakura, however, as the girl was clearly down for the count. "Caught all of that, did you, Shikamaru?" Ino asked as she brushed herself off with her back to the boy.

Shikamaru shrugged and leapt down from the higher part of the roof he had been watching from. "Not by choice," he stated. Looking over the wrecked roof, he whistled in appreciation of the damage. "Good thing this was an abandoned building, you and that girl really wrecked it."

"It was Sakura and that crazy sword of hers," Ino responded. "She swings that thing around, tears up half the place, and then calls _**me**_a wild pig? Ha!"

For a few moments, Shikamaru waited in silence for his teammate to say something more about the fight. Now that Ino mentioned Sakura's name, the young Nara remembered more about her. He knew Ino and Sakura had been inspirable for years until a bad falling out but he didn't think it had came to open violence yet. Seeing that Ino wasn't going to give up any details of the altercation willingly, he sighed and pulled out a handkerchief.

Ino turned around when she felt Shikamaru tap her shoulder. "What's this for?" she asked as she took the offered cloth.

"Your neck," Shika answered. "It's bleeding all over the place."

In shock, Ino felt her neck and was surprised to find a long, deep, cut marring her flesh. As Shikamaru had said, it was bleeding but not enough to be life threatening. It would leave a scar, however. "Forehead Girl must have cut it closer than I thought," Ino said as she stunted the bleeding.

Shikamaru lazily nodded before he motioned to the other girl on the roof. "Well, Sakura didn't get off easy herself."

Ino's eyes followed her teammates finger as he pointed to the still-unconscious Sakura. More importantly, the pool of blood under Sakura's neck.

"Dammit!" Ino cursed as she ran over to the other girl. She turned Sakura over and cringed when she saw that her neck was painted red. "I put too much chakra into the jutsu! Shikamaru, help me get her to the hospital!" the Genin ordered as she used the handkerchief Shika had given her to stop Sakura's bleeding.

The Nara raised a single eyebrow and looked closer at Sakura's wounds. "Ah, Ino, it's not really that bad. Yours is actually worse than that," he pointed out. "Just calm down for a second and look at it."

Ino blinked and pulled back the cloth. Although there was a lot of blood, the puncture marks weren't that deep and the bleeding had mostly stopped. Still, she had to do something.

Shikamaru watched his teammate with a sharper eye as Ino picked up the sleeping Haruno. She was oddly being very gentle despite the war the two of them had just been through.

"I'm taking her to the hospital, Shikamaru," Ino stated. She eyed the large zanbatou still resting on the roof before sighing. "Grab that sword, would ya? Sakura would get pissed if I just left it out here."

"This is way too troublesome," Shika mumbled as he strained to pick up the weapon. "How does she manage to even hold this thing upright?" he wondered. The blade was taller than he was and probably weighed close to eighty pounds.

Ino shrugged as she leapt to the nearest rooftop. "Who knows, it's probably some sort of strange forehead power. Let's just get to the hospital."

Silently, Kakashi watched as his student was carried off. Before Shikamaru had made himself known the Jounin had almost intervened himself to make sure Sakura had gotten to a hospital. However, this had proven unnecessary as Ino had been much more sportsman-like than he had given her credit. From the way Asuma talked, Kakashi would have had pegged her as a girl with a dominatrix complex who cared far too much about her appearance.

_'It was probably just old memories catching up with her, though,'_Kakashi mused. Despite what most people would think, the man watching the unfolding scene below him was very familiar with memories. _'It could be a problem for Ino during the exams...'_

Deciding it would be best to make sure Sakura got decent treatment and to put the Kubikiri Houcho back into a scroll, Kakashi subtly followed the duo. After all, the staff on duty wouldn't let something like that zanbatou just sit out in a hospital.

Ino made it to the hospital first while Shikamaru was several minutes behind her thanks to the speed she had used getting to the second-most important building in Konoha.

The nurses on duty rushed to take Sakura from Ino having reacted to the large amount of blood on the girl. Most of the blood, however, was Ino's own that had dripped onto Sakura during the trip.

To the blonde's annoyance, one of the doctors on duty caught this fact and had promptly admitted Ino into the hospital despite her protests. That was why the youngest Yamanaka now found herself in a drab medical gown and confined to a bed for "observation."

"It's not that bad, Ino," Shikamaru stated as he leaned back in the chair he was in. "Think about it, you have an excuse to just lay back and take it easy now."

Ino crossed her arms in a huff. "Not all of us are lazy good-for-nothings like you are, Shika," she responded. "I mean, I should be out of here by now! What are my parents going to think? I just ran out of the shop earlier."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Who knows? Your dad was the one who sent me off to find you in the first place. It was so troublesome."

"So that's why you were lurking around and following me," Ino deduced. Still, her lazy teammate did have a point, a nice break after a fight like that would be nice. "What the hell, I deserve it," she finally decided with a smirk.

The boy returned the smirk and rose from his chair. "If that's the case, I'll go explain things to your parents. How does a training accident sound?"

Ino laughed. "That'll work, I guess. If anyone can outsmart Pops it's you."

A groan from the bed adjacent to Ino's drew the attention of the pair. Dressed in a matching hospital robe, Sakura grunted as she finally awoke from her stupor.

There was an awkward tension in the air as Ino and Sakura locked gazes, neither knowing exactly what to say or do. Noticing the tension and deciding it was becoming too troublesome for him, Shikamaru quickly said his goodbyes and left.

"So...you're in here, too?" Sakura started.

"...yeah. I must have been sloppy," Ino finished with a humorless laugh.

Again, Sakura spoke first. "How did we get here?" she asked. For sure, she couldn't have brought herself after that fight.

Ino considered lying. It would be easier to just forget this entire day, except for Haku, but she knew Sakura wouldn't give up that easily. "I brought you here, Sakura," the blonde admitted with a sigh.

"Why?"

That single question brought up more responses than Ino cared to think about. What had compelled her to bring Sakura, the girl who had practically ambushed her, to a hospital? Guilt? Lingering feelings from their days as best friends? Something else entirely? "I don't know, I just didn't want to see you like that," Ino finally, and honestly, responded.

Sakura slowly nodded. "I know what you mean," she said. At Ino's confused look, the girl continued. "On the roof, I mean. I-I could have...have _killed _you, you know? But...I didn't want to. I don't hate you, Ino."

The mutual confessions brought about a more pensive silence. Both girls had something significant to think about and neither really wanted to.

In Ino's mind, nothing had been resolved. Sakura had still betrayed her all those years ago and, to be honest, she had never really given her old rival much thought since her new training with Naruto. Today, however, had shown her that Sakura not only still thought of her, but had put significant effort into catching up.

To Sakura, the day out with Ino as 'Haku' followed by the fight and revelations before it had shifted her view of her old friend. What was more, the talk before the battle had brought up many issues and feelings she didn't want to think about. Sakura's entire perception of Yamanaka Ino's place in her life had shifted in less than ten minutes of talking. What it had shifted into was still up in the air, though.

"Ino..." Sakura began, tired of the silence.

The pink-haired Genin didn't get a chance to say anything more as the room's door opened and a nurse came in. Not noticing the mood, the cheerful woman walked over to Ino's bed pushing a wheelchair.

"Yamanaka-san, our tests and x-rays are back in," she stated. "Nothing serious came up so you're free to go. Just take it easy with the bandage on your neck, alright? Your parents are also in the lobby, I believe."

Ino, stunned by the sudden door to freedom, only nodded. She gathered up her clothes which the nurse had brought with her and climbed into the mandatory wheelchair.

As the nurse wheeled Ino out of the room, Sakura bit her lip. "Ino...!" she called out right as the door was about the shut.

There was a pause and Sakura thought her former friend might not have heard her. The door, however, opened back up and Ino stuck her head back inside the room. "...yeah?" she called back, sounding as sheepish as Sakura did.

"Um..." Sakura didn't know what to say exactly, only that her brain wanted her to say something. "...see you in the Chuunin Exams."

Ino let out a breath of air which Sakura noted sounded like a sigh of relief. "I'll be looking forward to it...Forehead Girl." With that, Ino left a stunned Sakura alone in her room.

Kakashi, who had been waiting in the lobby casually reading his porno, watched as Ino talked with her parents. Apparently, someone had told them it was a training accident. While the ANBU would file a report on the incident, it probably wouldn't be marked as anything more than inner-village rivalries flaring up before the Chuunin Exam.

Once he got Sakura's room number from the nurse, the Jounin meandered down the hall. When he opened the door, he was met with the sight of his student looking strangely contemplative.

"Sakura? Are you in here?" he called out.

The Genin blinked a few times and looked up at her teacher. "Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Kakashi smiled under his mask and leaned up against the wall. "Ah, well, I was just walking along and this talking black cat crossed my path. Funny thing, it lead me right here."

Sakura rolled her eyes but the lie made her smile. "Sure, Sensei," she laughed. At least Kakashi could always lighten the mood.

"So, when are you getting out of here?" the Jounin asked. By the look of her, Sakura didn't have many injuries other than her neck and a few bruises on her face.

The young girl shrugged. "I just woke up a little while ago and there hasn't been anyone in to talk to me yet," Sakura responded. She left out the part about Ino since that was something she didn't want floating around Konoha.

Kakashi nodded in understanding. "They can be a bit slow here. No head director over the hospital, you know," he stated. Figuring it was as good a time as any, he pulled out a small scroll from his pouch and laid it down on Sakura's bed.

Sakura looked at the rolled up piece of paper and let out a sigh of relief. "The Kubikiri Houcho!" she exclaimed as she held the scroll. "Thanks for picking it up, Kakashi-sensei."

"Oh, that wasn't me," the Jounin responded as he flipped a page in his book. "Ino was the one who suggested that Nara kid bring it along. I just picked it up off him in the lobby."

The thought brought a small smile to Sakura's face. Ino had not only brought her to a hospital, but had made sure her weapon came along with her. Still, it could just be that Ino felt pity for her former friend. _'She still doesn't take me seriously, I guess...' _Sakura thought to herself as he gripped the scroll tightly.

It was easy for Kakashi to feel the small bit of depression coming off from his student. Although he didn't know the reason for it, he suspected it had to do with her fight with Ino.

"I saw your fight," the masked man stated, pulling Sakura out of her brooding. "And I think I saw some room for improvement."

Sakura let out a humorless chuckle. "You think?" she sarcastically responded. "Ino dominated the entire thing, I only got lucky when she underestimated me at the end."

Kakashi sighed, this wasn't going to be easy. If he didn't know better, he would have thought Sakura had picked up a few of Sasuke's attitude. "You knew you couldn't beat Ino right now, so don't get discouraged," Kakashi said. "You did remarkably well for only a few days practice with that sword and you got in some hits. After all, Ino was in here too."

"I know, Sensei," Sakura said with a disappointed sigh. "But I can hardly lift the Kubikiri Houcho, it's going to cause more problems during the exam if I use it."

At those words, the Jounin chuckled. "Sakura, you're the smartest ninja that's graduated this year and you can't appraise a battle?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow. "I said there was room for improvement and there is."

Sakura looked up at her teacher with a thoughtful expression. She hadn't thought of it like that. "What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei? The only times I managed to hit Ino was with my fists or when I caught her off-guard," Sakura stated, not understanding what the older man was driving at.

"Exactly," Kakashi said, closing his book. He reached back into pouch and pulled out another scroll. One hand seal and a plume of smoke later, it was laid out in front of Sakura. To finish, the Jounin produced a pin and a bottle of ink which he placed on the table beside Sakura's bed.

The young Haruno looked at the black scroll in confusion. "What's all this for?" she asked.

Instead of immediately answering, Kakashi picked up Sakura's medical chart from the end of the hospital bed. "You get working on that and I'll go see a nurse about your condition," he stated as he walked out the door.

"Sensei!" Sakura called out, "What am I supposed to do with all this?! You said I could improve with the zanbatou!" she yelled in frustration.

Kakashi smiled that annoying 'you're being stupid' smile at his student. "And how do you expect to get better with it?" he asked. "Like you said, you're not strong enough to use it like it was intended so what should you do? You think Zabuza just listened to someone else when he was learning?" Kakashi added. "Trial and error, Sakura, trial and error. You already have a fight to draw experience from: look underneath the underneath and you'll figure it out."

Sakura frowned as Kakashi walked out of the room leaving her without only blank paper and questions. "Some teacher he is," she huffed. Still, she would give figuring out what to do a chance since there was nothing better to occupy herself with.

First, Sakura examined the scroll itself. There were not words on it at all but there was ample space to fill some in herself. There long parchment was even broken up into sections so Sakura imagined it would be something like a list or different parts of a whole.

_'But what would come in parts?' _she wondered. Suddenly, she remembered something like this from her days studying for the academy's final exam. _'Of course! A technique scroll! This is a blank one, though. Does Kakashi want me to fill it in?' _Sakura asked herself.

Shrugging, Sakura grabbed the pen and started thinking about her fight with Ino. Some things had definitely worked and some things hadn't. Actually using the Kubikiri Houcho the way she had planned seemed to be out of the question. A faster opponent than Ino would have ample time to counter any attack.

_'Then what do I do with it?' _Sakura asked herself. Without the sword, she was basically back to square one in her training. _'Calm down, there has to be something I'm missing...' _the young girl told herself.

With that thought in mind, Sakura started writing out things that had worked against Ino on the scroll. Obviously, the first thing she described with Zabuza's maneuver of using the zanbatou as a springboard for a kick after a failed slash. Next, Sakura outlined using the weapon handle for strikes should the situation allow.

More and more, Sakura wrote about unorthodox uses of the sword and more and more did a pattern develop. "I used the Kubikiri Houcho like a part of the battlefield itself," Sakura gasped in a sudden bout of insight. "That makes sense since it's so big! There's no way that I could swing it like Zabuza no matter how much I train...so, I have to do something different!"

Outside in the hall, looking through the slightly-ajar door, Kakashi smiled under his mask. _'Finally got it, huh?_' he silently mused. _'Maybe there's more to the 'genius of hard work' thing that Gai was talking about than I gave him credit?'_ Kakashi wondered. Then again, Gai was a person who ran around in green spandex sporting a bowl cut.

"Nah," Kakashi decided as he pulled back out his Icha Icha Paradise book and went in search of a doctor on duty...

* * *

I really had to set the mood between Ino and Sakura going into the exams and the groundwork for the absolutely _**crazo**_fights I'm setting up over the next few chapters. Some of you might be able to guess what future fighting styles I'm setting up and if so I ask that you leave them out of the reviews as to not spoil them for others. Oh, and next chapter is the start of the Chuunin Exams. I know you've all been waiting on them so look forward to it!

**::Jutsu List::**

_**Heapou: Genzon**_ _**Buki**__**(Hair Art: Living Weapon)**  
Ino pumps chakra into her hair and controls it with her will. The hair can take the form of a single needle or a thick sword; whatever Ino wills it to be._


	19. House of Cards

New chapter, yay! I really like this one since it's the start of the exam arc and the return of bitch Hinata! I love bitch Hinata, she's so fun to write. Also, more of my favorite characters come out this chapter. It's so much fun to write!

This chapter was kinda hard to write, though, because of the switching perspectives of all the characters. Eventually that won't be a problem but for right now it's pretty tough. Hope you guys can keep up with it. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy the latest chapter of Black Sheep.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or bitch Hinata. I wish I did, though.

* * *

**Chapter 19: House of Cards  
**

* * *

All around Konoha young men and women streamed from their homes. Their parents, standing in the doorways, watching as their children walked away, were afflicted with conflicting feelings. On the one hand, there was pride. The pride that their child was becoming an adult. On the other, there was fear. Fear for their safety. 

These feelings were repeated time and time again over the city. That was because of one thing. One event. The only time when all of Konoha came alive for a few weeks. It was already starting; shops were advertising special sales and street vendors were setting up their stalls.

The Chuunin Exams.

It was always a sight to behold for the general populous. The Jounin Exams were held in private so this was as close as a normal person got to seeing a live ninja mission so it was a show for many.

This year there were several prestigious clans that were probably going to be competing against each other in the finals. Hyuuga Hinata, heir to the entire clan, along with her talented cousin would be representing their family. Even more, the pride of Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke, would sure to be a shoo-in for Chuunin. Along with these geniuses, high-ranking clans like the Inuzuka and Akimichi had their newest generation in Genin teams. A nice show indeed.

However, before any Genin could entire the preliminary rounds, they first had to be cleared by their Jounin instructors. Many Jounins, such as Might Gai, choose to skip a year before letting their pupils take the exam to let them hone their skills. This was not the case, though, with the "Rookie 9", or so some in Konoha had begun calling the recent graduates, and it was rumored that all of them had been recommended for the exams...

"Can you believe all this?" Naruto raved to his teammates as they walked the city, listening to the ordinary people gossip and brag about the class below them.

...yes, the rookies were the talk of the town, much to the annoyance of the more seasoned shinobi who had skipped an exam or had failed before.

Tenten, ever diplomatic, tried to frown at her friend's words. That was hard to do, though, when her own feelings were inclined the same way. "Let the people talk," she stated.

"Yosh! They will have even more to talk about when their picks are eliminated by Team Two!" Lee declared in one of his rare boastful moments. Naruto gave him a grin and actually pumped his fist along with his teammate.

"Hell yeah! Rookies are no problem at all for the likes of us," Naruto stated.

The trio was headed for the old Ninja Academy for their first round of questioning. It was still early, only 2:00, and they had an hour to get there so they were taking the long way around the village.

When they were out of the more crowded areas, Tenten innocently put her hands behind her head and looked at her two teammates. "So, you guys train hard for this thing?" she asked, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"To the bone," Naruto instantly replied. Then, looking at Lee's bandaged hands, he flinched. "Probably not as hard as Lee did, though," the boy amended.

For once the innocent Genin smiled at his own accomplishments. It had come at a cost, though, Lee mused, and his mood shifted into a sad one.

While their individual skills were most likely at their peak, their team dynamic had suffered. They hadn't done a mission together since Naruto's kidnapping, mostly going off by themselves to train. For the first time in a long time, Lee felt he didn't completely know the two people walking next to him. What if all three of them didn't become Chuunin? Would they even be on the same team anymore? Thoughts like these had been plaguing his mind recently.

So caught up in his thoughts was Lee that he almost missed Tenten's response of, "Yeah, Lee really pulled out all the stops with that training. Gai-sensei didn't make you do too much, right?" she asked Lee. That log thing was pretty rough.

The slightly-older boy shook his head. "The training was very rewarding." The simplicity of the answer took Naruto and Tenten by surprise.

"You alright, Lee?" Naruto asked. His green-inclined friend seemed a bit down which was unusual. Normally the other boy would be spouting things about youthfulness or Gai's latest win over Kakashi.

Nodding, Lee tried to focus on the moment and not the future. Shinobi, Gai had said once, do not have the luxury of a future and can only live in the moment. That in mind, the current moment was looking grand so it wasn't hard for Lee's mood to improve.

Tenten smiled at her two best friends. She had an idea what was wrong with Lee but kept silent. Things would work out, they always did. At least, she hoped it would this time.

"Of course it will," she said aloud, drawing the attention of her friends, "we're the best! All three of us will make Chuunin and be a team until we're too old to even walk. Then, after we're retired or Hokage's, our kids will be put in the same team so they don't break the Ama-Ucha-Rock trio!" she exclaimed, throwing a fist up to the sky.

Lee's eyes lit up as Tenten reaffirmed his sentiments. "Yooooosh! Of course they will! Our names will go down in history!" the boy yelled as his fist also flew up once again. The excitement was infectious.

With a face-splitting grin, Naruto let his hand join theirs. "We're the big sharks in a small pond, of course we'll all make Chuunin! It's a given, they might as well hand us our vests now!"

"My, my, my. I doubt the village has any vests that could accommodate those swollen heads of yours."

Team Two wheeled around at the snide comment only to find a grinning Hyuuga Hinata staring back at them. Team Eight, which included Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba, flanked the future clan leader.

Shino, the most level-headed of the group, chose to stand off to the side rather than get caught up in pre-exam pissing matches. Hinata and Kiba, on the other hand, took to the festivities like preverbal fish.

"You guys don't stand a chance," Kiba remarked. From atop of his head, Akamaru barked to agree with his master. "I mean, your sensei didn't recommend you the first time, obviously something's wrong with you guys. Just go on home and wait until the decent ninja are out of the running."

Naruto simply scoffed at the group, he'd screw with them later during the exam. Seeing as they had arrived at the building that was housing the first part of the exam, he walked on inside with Lee.

"Don't you have a fire hydrant to deface, dog-breath? Don't let us keep you from that," Tenten spat as she followed the rest of her team inside. She couldn't help but laugh when she heard Hinata unsuccessfully hold back a laugh, though.

Inside, things were far more hectic. There were several Genin lounging about, talking in hushed voices, or actually getting in some last-minute sleep. When she walked in, Tenten noticed the rest of her team off in a corner trying not to attract too much attention.

When they were all together, Lee raised his index finger and Tenten knew that a lecture was sure to follow.

"I was just telling Naruto-kun about a strategy Gai-sensei suggested!" he said. "We shouldn't draw attention to ourselves. If we do, we'll be a target."

Naruto nodded. "That's pretty good thinking for super-thick eyebrows. I really don't want to be singled out this early. Don't you think so, Tenten?"

The girl agreed as well. It would be best if they acted like clueless Genin to fool all the foreign ninja stalking around. That decided, they joined the general shuffle of bodies up the first flight of steps until they reached a stopping point in front of a door marked 301. There were two particularly-strong looking teenagers guarding it and several of the other Genin were beaten up.

"This is nuts!" one of them shouted near the front. "You can't hold us here, this is an official exam!"

The taller boy, one with spiky hair and a bandage over his nose, chuckled. "Stop whining! We're doing you a favor by stopping you guys here."

Naruto listened to the display with disinterest. The competition had to be pretty stupid if they couldn't tell it was a genjutsu. Hell, if they only walked up one flight of stairs, how could they be on the third damn floor?!

"Come on guys, let's get out of here," Tenten said as she walked past the angry group of Genin. Obviously she had noticed it as well and Naruto had no problem following orders. When Lee paused for a moment, however, they both stopped.

Looking over to his left for just a moment, the bowl-cut boy took a deep breath and marched into the crowd to get to the two people blocking the fake entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?" the shorter teen asked, his fist clenched.

"You should move," Lee replied, not giving an inch. Again he looked over into the crowd but because of all the people Naruto and Tenten couldn't see what had caught his attention without moving. Once they did, the reason became all too clear.

Standing over to the side watching was none other than Team Seven. In particular, Haruno Sakura. With a groan, Tenten's brain made the connection.

Nudging Naruto with her elbow, she leaned in to whisper, "I think it's love at first sight. That's Team Seven over there and that pink-haired Genin caught Lee's attention."

"What do we do? Lee's going to blow his plan before we can even begin it at this rate!" Naruto whispered back. Before Tenten could answer, there was a loud crack of flesh upon flesh and Lee went down hard on the wood floor.

"That's what you're bringing to this exam? Pathetic. Being a Chuunin means being responsible for everyone in your team, you think kids can be trusted with something like that?" the spiky-haired teen asked as he tried not to rub his hand. That weird kid was a solid wall of muscle.

From the crowd, Uchiha Sasuke strolled out into the limelight and Naruto had to fight the urge to simply laugh at how cool his cousin was trying to be. "I understand," Sasuke said, "but you will let me through. You'll also remove this genjutsu you've put over the door."

Evidently, other than Team Two and Seven, no one else had bothered to count how many floors up they were traveling and were shocked when the 301 morphed into 201. Tenten wondered how the majority of them remembered how to breath.

"Heh, you noticed it too, Uchiha?" Neji asked as he also stepped out from the crowd. "I hope it wasn't a strain on your limited senses."

For a moment it looked as if the two were about to come to blows until the brains of Team Seven stepped between them, again knocking over Lee in the process. He had tried to jump between them to try to recover some of his damaged image but Sakura's foot had other plans.

Looking at her, one wouldn't think that Haruno Sakura would be able to stare down two of the most dangerous shinobi in the exam but the young Genin was attempting to do just hat.

"You two can beat the hell out of each other after the exam. We all knew it was a genjutsu, so let's go. Okay, Sasuke-kun? Neji?" she reasoned.

With a smirk, the pale-eyed Hyuuga shrugged and pushed past the stunned crowd towards the stairs at the other end of the hall while Sasuke and Sakura lagged behind. They didn't want to be around Neji when he was in one of his smug moods, anyway.

As the crowd started to disperse and follow, Tenten walked over to her green-clad teammate and helped him up off the floor. "Jeez, Lee, you got pushed around a bit, huh?"

Luckily for Lee, the only thing bruised was his ego and he only had to dust himself off to look fixed and fit once again. "I was kicked in the head...that didn't make me look cool," he lamented.

"Come on, Sakura's brainwashed for Sasuke," Naruto stated. "She probably walks into fence posts when he's not around."

Lee, however, didn't see it this way and he shook his head. "That is not so! I can tell she's special!" he informed them. "I'll protect her until death!"

Shrugging to one another, Tenten and Naruto dragged Lee along with them to the third floor. It was there that they saw Team Seven getting some last-minute pointers from their Jounin sensei. That is to say, Naruto's uncle.

"Otooji, are you supposed to be in here?" Naruto asked with a smirk as the trio walked up to the exam room entrance.

If Kakashi was worried about being reprimanded for the pep talk, he didn't show it as he lazily smiled at his nephew. "Just wrapping up some things," he said in way of explanation. Sasuke and Neji eyed the group, but weren't overly-hostile. The only kunoichi on the team was another story, however.

Sakura rolled her eyes. How could she forget that her teacher was **that **kid's uncle? Not wanting to be around the blond for any length, she pushed past her teammates without so much as a word and entered the exam room. She knew it was childish, maybe even bitchy, but Sakura really didn't care.

Kakashi watched the kunoichi head off with slightly-narrowed eyes. He had noticed the problem Sakura seemed to have with his nephew the first time he had brought it up but was getting worse... "Ah, well, you guys better get in there before Sakura wipes out all the competition," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

Naruto, as always, was oblivious to the tension and nodded. "Whatever," he responded. "You're buying me ramen when I pass, though! Don't try and weasel out of it!"

Inside the large exam room, numerous Genin were already finding their seats. Off to the side, Naruto spotted Hinata, Kiba, and Shino talking to one another along with Team Seven. Looks like most of the rookies were sticking together, the boy noted. Now, where was...

"Sasuke-kuuuuuun!"

Ah, there she was.

Ino practically leapt at the stoic Uchiha until Sakura caught her midair and dropped her to the floor. To Naruto's surprise, she even did it one-handed. Maybe she wasn't as useless as he had originally thought?

"Pig, don't act so desperate," Sakura groaned. Her voice lacked any real reprimand, though, and there was obviously tension hanging between the pair.

Ino opened her mouth to say something but someone else caught her eye. Having nothing better to do, Choji and Shikamaru followed along as their "leader" waltzed over to Team Two.

"Naruto!" Ino called out as her own way of greeting. She gave Tenten and Lee a courtesy nod which the boy returned with gusto while Tenten rolled her eyes. Ignoring them, Ino continued, "You ready to finally lose to me?"

"Hey, I taught you everything you know," Naruto responded, just as smug. "You're unlucky that Gai didn't want us to skip this year."

Over with the main group, Sakura's eyes were narrowing at her rivals(?) banter. They seemed to be getting along well, she noted. Nothing like how awkward things between Ino and herself were at the moment.

Normally, Sasuke would ignore any and all fangirls for fear of them getting even more attached but Sakura was seriously starting to beat him in the brooding department at the moment and it was weirding him out. Contrary to popular thought, Uchiha Sasuke did have a personality and there were times he felt like giving a damn. When your other teammate was a Hyuuga who was glaring a hole in his relative, it didn't leave a lot of options on who to open a conversation with.

"If looks could kill I'd have two fewer annoyances to worry about in this exam," Sasuke lazily commented. He didn't want to look too eager to talk and ruin his stoic reputation.

That snapped Sakura out of her glaring and she looked anywhere but at the two people standing across the room from her. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sasuke-kun."

The raven-haired boy scoffed in his usual gruntial fashion as he leaned up against the wall. "Whatever," Sasuke replied, giving up on his attempt at communication. Unfortunately, someone else didn't get that memo.

"You rookies sure are being noisy."

The rebuke caught the attention of Naruto and Ino and stopped their conversation cold. The more high strung members of the rookie nine took especial offense.

Hinata inclined her head as a lanky teen walked over from the throng of other Genin. "Who are you to talk to us like this?" she demanded.

"I'm Yakushi Kabuto and I've been through this thing enough times to know you don't want to make these guys mad before the exam," he explained.

Naruto, while a bit irked at the attitude the older boy was sporting, didn't take too much offense and remained neutral. Sakura, on the other hand, relaxed and tried to pry some information out of their nosey guest.

"Kabuto-san, you've been through the exam before?" she asked. At least Kabuto's interruption had made Ino and Naruto pry themselves away from one another.

The bespecled Genin chuckled but the sound came out quite hollow. "I've taken this exam seven times already. That's four years of doing this thing," he responded.

Naruto was shocked. Seven times this guy had gone through the Chuunin exam? He didn't look particularly weak so maybe this exam was a lot harder than he was thinking? Looking at his team, they all mirrored similar feelings. Even Ino looked disconcerted.

Kabuto must have noticed the funk as he made an easing gesture with his hands. "But that's just me, you guys might do better...with a little help," Kabuto stated as he pulled out a stack of cards. "These are the results of taking this test so many times, my ninja info cards. They hold all kinds of information, over two hundred of them in all."

"Do you have individual people on there?" Sasuke suddenly asked. When Kabuto nodded, he added, "Show me Gaara of Hidden Sand."

With a flash of chakra, one of the older Genin's cards popped to life and a miniature mockup of a strange-looking boy showed up. "Sabaku no Gaara, Genin," Kabuto read aloud. "Completed eight C-rank missions and a B-rank, pretty impressive."

Sasuke nodded as his way of showing thanks before sulking off to lean against the wall. Obviously the news disturbed him a bit.

"Say, do you have one for me?" Sakura reluctantly asked. "I mean, we should see how much info everyone else might have," she amended.

Kabuto nodded and pulled out another card from his stack. Once a bit of chakra was applied, a portrait of Sakura popped up along with a stat window. Naruto noticed that Ino was paying just a bit more attention this time around.

"Haruno Sakura, Genin. Completed six D-rank missions and...wow, one A-rank!" Kabuto exclaimed, much to the surprise of everyone else. "Former abilities were limited but recent training makes you a dark horse in this exam."

Ino whistled. "So Asuma wasn't just blowing steam when he said your team fought that missing-nin, huh?" she asked Sakura.

Off to the side, Lee made a point of smiling smugly at Tenten. "I am a most youthful judge of character!" he said in an I-told-you-so tone. All Tenten could do is grit her teeth and nod.

"So, what kind of villages are in the exam this year? Anyone good?" Hinata asked. "I noticed one symbol I had never seen before."

"That must have been Oto," Kabuto answered. Another card was pulled out of the stack and a small map appeared on it. "Otogakure, a minor village that was just founded in Tea Country, sent a Genin team. It's probably all they have."

It was at that point the most perceptive members of the group noticed something off. From the mass of people, three shapes came barreling out towards Kabuto.

Sakura, being closest, quickly pulled a kunai and knocked away two other kunai that were flung at the teen. When a second figure came in low, however, the pink-haired girl missed seeing them.

Just when she was about to get hit, an impossibly-long lash of gold hair whipped through the air and nearly caught the attacking Oto-nin. While Ino wasn't particularly serious, her odd attack proved to be enough to make the mummy-looking Genin veer off course and reevaluate the situation.

"You brats settle down back there! The first exam is about to begin!" a deep voice bellowed. A mass of smoke near the front of the room and let everyone know just what was happening. Several vicious-looking shinobi stepped out of the mass Shunshin no Jutsu and glared at the terrified Genins.

Their leader, who Naruto instantly recognized, looked at the back with a stern gaze. "You Sound guys better calm down or I'll personally kick your ass out of this exam," he warned. When he saw Naruto at the back grinning at him, it sent a shiver down his spine. He had never really gotten over waking up in a bed full of snakes last year...

Regardless, things quickly picked up from that point. The teams were broken up and shuffled around the room according to their numbers and it was to his considerable consternation that Naruto found himself sitting next to Hinata. The young Hyuuga was probably still in a foul mood from this morning.

Glancing around the room, Naruto tried to find his teammates. Tenten was at the far side of the room with Lee a few rows behind her. At least they got to sit near friendly faces.

Hinata glared out of the corner of her eyes at the boy but otherwise ignored him. Instead, she chose to pay attention to Ibiki's explanation of the exam.

Listening in as well, Naruto's mind worked to understand the instructions. A written test in a Chuunin exam? Since when did Konoha ever do something like that? Still, a test was a test and he had to get everything right if he and his team wanted to continue.

As the papers were being handed out, he spared a look back at his teammates. To his surprise, he watched Tenten send a few kunai up to the ceiling almost faster than he could register. Since the Chuunin instructors were busy, none of them had caught it.

_'What's she trying to do, get us docked points?' _he asked himself. It was obvious that the little mirrors mounted on the kunai were for one thing: cheating. When Tenten signed some instructions to Lee, Naruto figured the other member of the team was in on it as well and he shook his head. If they got caught...well, he let that thought trail off when a test was slammed down in front of him.

Even though he had graduated near the top of his class in most things, bookwork was never a Naruto strongpoint, a fact Anko regularly poked fun at. Even so, the blond knew enough to see that there was virtually no one, even Genin who had been through the exam before, that could answer even half of these questions. That was when he noticed it.

All around him he saw kids in the same frame of mind as himself. They were staring blankly at the paper as though it were an alien monster that wanted to suck out their brains. However, one or two of them were scribbling furiously on their tests and made no motion to hide it.

_'It's like they want everyone to know they're so smart. Bastards,' _Naruto internally grumbled. A surge of chakra off to his side made him glance at Hinata. The veins around her eyes had bulged and instantly Naruto knew what she was doing. _'The Byakugan...she's cheating!'_

Indeed, the Hyuuga heiress was staring a figurative hole through the smarty-pants a few rows down and casually copying his test.

"Number 18, you've failed!" called out an instructor from the sidelines.

The boy in question jumped to his feet and asked how the inspector was sure he had cheated three times. All he got for his legitimate question was being overpowered by a mummy-looking Chuunin who had his eyes under wraps.

Beside him, Hinata made a face and went back to copying the answers to her test. Naruto, on the other hand, decided to play it safe and look over his a few more times in an attempt to answer it. He could imagine that Tenten and Lee had already set their plan in motion and wondered if they would get caught.

At the front, Ibiki fought to keep a smile off his face as he noticed both subtle and blatant cheating going on before him. Wire mirrors, eyeballs made of sand, and several blood limits were being used and they were all getting past the Chuunin he had picked to preside over the exam. They were the bottom of the barrel, he imagined, if they couldn't even tell there was a puppet sitting in their ranks. Those Suna-nin were something else.

Then, of course, there were those being failed even as he was thinking all this. They were the idiotic ones who tried such things as looking over someone's shoulder or whispering answers. School kids, really.

The nervous boy sitting near the front is the one that caught Ibiki's attention, though. Uzumaki Naruto, Anko's only student and near-family. They had an interesting relationship if gossip was to be believed. Still, his performance so far was nothing to write home about. In fact, the kid hadn't done anything at all.

He was raised by the Hokage himself, had Kakashi for an uncle, and Anko for a teacher yet he couldn't figure out this exam? Kind of sad, in Ibiki's opinion.

Not worrying about it, he turned his eyes towards an interesting drama going on several rows above Naruto. It would seem that two of the more talked about kunoichi were about to put their wills to the test.

Sakura had, admittedly, neglected her studies once out of the Academy. She had put much more time in improving abilities that her rival/friend would consider amazing or at least interesting. Regardless, for someone as intelligent as her this test wasn't anything too bad and she had breezed through questions one through nine, only leaving the tenth question vacant. Since her seat was so far up in the room, she was content to sit back and watch people fail for being too obvious with their cheating.

Behind her, Ino was doing much the same thing. She knew her two teammates would figure something out without her input. She imagined that Shikamaru could answer anything on the test and would use his Kagemane no Jutsu to help Choji pass. That left her, all the way on the other side of the room, to fend for herself.

'_And fend I will,' _Ino told herself as she set Sakura in her sights. Her family's signature jutsu really wasn't suited to her combat style but it had its uses. This happened to be one of them. She was a bit worried about it since she hadn't put in too much practice doing it lately but hey, what could go wrong?

_"Shintenshin no Jutsu."_

It was always an odd feeling to be in someone else's body. Everyone's body had a different makeup than her own. Muscles built up in different places, injuries or abnormalities that the subconscious had worked around, or weapons in odd places that could cause harm if she shifted around too much. Very tricky business.

_'Damn, forehead girl. Buff enough?' _Ino thought to herself as she flexed Sakura's arm. She felt that if she hit the desk for all she was worth she could splinter it. _'Makes sense, I guess, since she swings that oversized kitchen knife around.'_

Faintly, the blonde could feel Sakura's subconscious fighting her control. It was actually surprisingly strong, something Ino hadn't been expecting. Apparently she had spent too much time appreciating Sakura's body rather than keeping her time limit in mind. Well, maybe not appreciating..._scouting_. Yeah, that was it. Scouting. With that decided, the girl went back to memorizing her rival's answers.

Ibiki shook his head. How could those "elite" Chuunin miss someone's head slamming down on a desk? It was like this almost every time he had to host one of these exams with Anko, she would always take the cream of the crop and he'd be left with the special needs ninja. It wasn't fair!

Back in front, Naruto had finally glanced around enough to catch onto the general theme of things. Three chances to cheat? What self-respecting teacher would do that if they didn't want that sort of thing going on. It didn't help him much, though, since his only means of cheating was useless with Hinata sitting right next to him. Unless...

Trying not to look too obvious, Naruto poked his sleeve a few times. After several harsh pokes, a familiar blueish snake poked it's head out to glare at the boy.

"What do you want?" Orochi asked, clearly annoyed with being bothered.

Naruto, not wanting to get his partner in an even worse mood, held back the verbal snap he usually would have dished out. "I need you to go look on some of these tests for me," the boy whispered back.

Orochi looked around with as bored a look as he could muster. "You want me, the greatest serpent to have ever terrorized the earth, to help you cheat on an exam?"

The last ditch effort by Naruto died on the vine as his scaly friend slithered back up his arm, hissing humorously at the current situation. The snake had been acting weird lately so Naruto didn't care too much. It wasn't worth pushing if he couldn't count on Orochi's help later in the exam by pissing him off now.

So, the tenth question would have to be his lifeline. If Naruto tired to use the Sharingan now, not only would Hinata see him and raise all kinds of hell but Ibiki and half the Chuunin of Konoha would know as well. It was still early in the exam to use up that particular trump card.

Finally Ibiki glanced at the wall clock and called for the tenth question. When Kankuro walked in, he made a snide remark about puppets that made the boy flinch. As if a Genin could sneak something like that past him.

"It's now time to begin the tenth question!" he called out, getting everyone's attention. "The rules of this are simple; you have a choice whether or not to answer the question. If you don't, you fail. If you do and get it wrong, you loose the chance to ever take this exam again."

Instantly Kiba shot up out of his chair. "What kind of shit is this?!" he bellowed. "There are people in here that have taken this exam before!"

"That's because I've never hosted this exam before," Ibiki answered. "I don't want trash like you making Chuunin if you aren't qualified."

The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension. The teams had already been thinned out by the first part of the exam and this question was the straw that broke the camel's back for a number of people as more and more hands went up to quit the exam.

Finally, something donned on Naruto. He knew enough from spending time with his grandfather that this just wasn't done. "You don't have the authority for something like that," Naruto called out.

All eyes, including the Chuunin examiners, fell on Naruto. He could feel Ibiki's in particular drilling a hole in his head but that only spurred him on. "Only the Hokage, with a majority vote from the village counsel, can hold back a shinobi from promotion," he recited, enjoying the strangled look the large man up front gave. Naruto still hadn't forgotten the tea "dates" Ibiki regularly shared with Anko despite his misgivings so young Uchiha twisted the knife a bit more. "And aren't there foreign ninja taking this exam, too? Do you have permission from their Kage for something like this, Ibiki-_san_?"

Before the interrogations expert could make a jumping leap of death at the annoying little brat smirking at him, one of the Chuunin discreetly walked up to the platform. "Ibiki-sama, I think the jig is up," he whispered.

"...Well, the point was to cheat and take a leap of faith. I suppose having that kind of information beforehand is a kind of preparation," the large man grumbled. Oh, he was not happy. Like anyone else was going to quit now. "Fine, you all pass. Congradula-"

It was that tiny spike of chakra that alerted the examiner to an oncoming headache and he discreetly edged away from the window. The Chuunin that he had been talking to, however, was not so fortunate as a booted foot caught him square in the face as the one and only Mitarashi Anko busted through the glass in full regalia.

"Don't celebrate just yet!" the Special Jounin cried out as she miraculously unfurled a banner behind her. Of course, she was met with dead silence from the surprised Genin.

From behind the large banner, Ibiki dared to poke his head out. "Read the mood, Anko."

The young woman flushed with embarrassment until she counted the number of heads. Turning sharply towards her co-examiner, she chided, "You left 26 teams, Ibiki?! Way too easy this time!" Although she looked upset, Anko managed to sneak her student a smirk, letting him know she was proud that he was still around.

Ibiki shrugged. "Not my problem. Some _**loudmouth**_ruined the surprise for everyone else."

----

"Pft, whatever," Naruto mumbled as the groups followed Anko outside. "Wasn't my fault that Ibiki didn't think anyone would know that kinda stuff. Right, Tenten?"

The young girl gave a humorless chuckle. "I want to be the first woman Hokage, Naruto. Sure I knew the examiner couldn't do any of that to us," she answered. When Naruto smiled, she sighed. "But I didn't say anything because the fewer people that knew that, the more would quit! Come on, that's less competition!"

Naruto blinked. That was a point...still, the boy didn't worry about it too much. "The more people in this thing the more fun we'll have! Lee, you know what I mean, right?"

"Yosh! More chances to prove out youthfulness!"

Once again, Tenten rolled her eyes. Why her teammates loved to fight so much was beyond her. As she looked at the forest looming before them, however, she couldn't deny that her blood was burning just a bit more than usual.

Anko walked out in front of the group and Naruto couldn't help the sour expression that came over his face. Couldn't Anko have worn something a _bit _more conservative? Half of the male Genins were undressing what little she had on with their eyes...

"This place is kinda creepy," Ino mumbled nearby to her teammates. Not far enough away, though, as Anko turned towards her with a vicious smirk.

"You'll soon find out why this place is called the forest of death," she stated, making several people shiver.

Naruto, however, snorted. "Trying to scare us, Hebi-chan?" he asked. "It's not going to work, most everyone knows what kind of animals to expect in there."

The kunai grazed his cheek before Naruto could even see it. Suddenly, a real fear set in, he had forgotten just how far a Jounin was above his level. The cut was fairly deep and, shakily, Naruto turned towards Anko to try and placate her but there was only a cloud of dust.

"Mmmm, don't get yourself killed, Naruto," Anko purred, her lips almost pressed flush against his ear. She had nearly draped herself over him in the time it took for the kunai to cut. "I wouldn't want all this wonderful blood to be wasted in the forest." Despite how abjectly terrified he was of Anko at that moment, Naruto couldn't help himself from shuddering when her tongue lapped at his cheek, drinking up the blood there.

There was a surge of chakra from behind and Anko whirled around, another kunai sliding from her sleeve. However, she paused when the kunai from before was gently held out to her. Though, at the angle it was at the grass-nin holding it could easily change hold and drive it into her neck.

"Your kunai almost hit my team leader," the Genin said in a gruff tone. Actually, he sounded more pissed than anything and Naruto could have sworn the voice sounded just the bit familiar.

Anko took back the offered weapon with a lick of her lips, wondering why the killing intent coming off the nin spiked when she drank the last bit of blood on her lips. "Thanks," she said, "but sneak up on me again and I might not be able to stop myself from spilling your blood as well."

The grass-nin, who had a spooky-looking mask covering his face, scoffed at the threat and walked back to his teammates. Naruto and Anko both couldn't shake the feeling that they had met the guy before, though.

Ino was watching the spectacle off to the side with a frown. That Anko woman was just freaky. How could Naruto like someone like that? Oh well, there were always other fish in the sea. Speaking of which...

"Hey Sakura," Ino called out. The other girl was standing nearby with her team and Sakura looked over when Ino called her. "Where's your friend, Haku, at?"

Sasuke and Neji immediately looked at their shocked teammate with varying degrees of surprise. Neji, though, was the first to act.

"Haku? He's dea-"

Sakura knew she would pay for slapping her hand over Neji's mouth later but for now she didn't care. Giving him the best glare she could muster to keep him quiet, she answered, "H-Haku's around, Ino. He's...um...already taken off for his gate. Yup!"

Ino raised an eyebrow at Sakura's shaky voice. "I didn't see him during the first exam so I thought he might have dropped out," she mused. When she noticed Sasuke looking at her like she were nuts, Ino quickly said, "Not that I like him or anything, Sasuke-kun! You're the only one for me," she reassured.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and decided that the entire Haku business wasn't worth the hassle of dealing with fan girls so he stalked off towards Anko to grab one of the release forms she was handing out.

Neji, though, gruffly pushed Sakura's hand away. "Don't do that again, Haruno," he snarled, forgetting about Ino's question in favor of plotting revenge on his teammate.

Once Anko had managed to get everyone to sign a voucher, wouldn't want to get sued, she herded all the kids into the scroll hut where her Chuunin assistance, who were several degrees more competent than Ibiki's, handed out the heaven and earth scrolls.

When Naruto's team entered, Tenten slipped the scroll in with her weapon scrolls. "No one would ever think the girl would guard the scroll," she reasoned when Lee asked why she got to hold it. "And even if they did, they'd have to go through all of my weapon scrolls to find it and risk opening the scroll."

At Gate 41, Team Two's gate, the trio sat with a random Chuunin, waiting for the exam to officially start.

"So, what was that thing with Anko before?" Tenten asked. "You two looked more freaky than usual when that guy walked up to you."

Naruto scratched his head, trying to put the feeling into words. "He was...weird. Like a bunshin but not. I think Hebi-chan noticed more than I did, though."

As the Chuunin's wristwatch hit 2:35, the man unlocked the gate. "Okay, kids. Go have some fun and try not to get dismembered."

Team after team broke into the forest at dead runs. Leaping into trees, shrubs, anything that would felicitate them getting to the tower as quickly as possible without ending up the prey of someone else.

Team Two, however, lazily traveled through the trees, not looking for anyone in particular. That was because their leader had a plan.

"Alright, we're all clear on this, right?" Tenten asked. "We wait until tonight and grab a scroll from a team that's asleep. No problem at all. Naruto, you smell anything yet?"

Naruto grumbled as he forced more chakra into his nose to increase it's performance. It was an Inuzuka technique that Kakashi had taught him a few months ago. Even thought he was only half Inuzuka, it worked well enough that the boy could zero-in on the closest team and tell how far away they were.

"Most everyone around us is moving straight towards the tower," he responded. Taking another deep breath, he added, "Team Eight has stopped, though."

Tenten's eyebrows knitted as she tried to figure this out. "What do you think, Lee?" she asked.

"A trap? They could be ambushing another team already!" he deduced.

"With Shino and Kiba it's possible," Naruto added. "Kiba's a lot better at this stuff than I am."

The young girl turned on her teammate with a reproachful look. "Uchiha or not, we don't need one right now. We need an Inuzuka," she stated. "We have to survive and you're the closest thing to a scout we have."

Taking the criticism to heart, Naruto tried to push up his senses. Tenten was right, he had never taken his Inuzuka skills seriously other than his taijutsu style. Even that was being pushed back thanks to the Sharingan's abilities.

'_This is pathetic,' _Naruto told himself. _'My mother was an Inuzuka, what would she say?'_

The Uchiha blood wished to simply take over everything. As much a part of him as it was, there was more to Uzumaki Naruto than just those red eyes and it was time he used it.

Pushing back the chakra of the Sharingan, of the Uchiha, Naruto tried to focus solely on that instinct he had felt every time he would use the Shikyaku no Jutsu. That primal, suffocating urge to run, to feel, to act like a simpler form of life that lives purely on instinct.

With a snap, things came into a sharper focus. The trees, the sounds, the smells, everything. "Team Seven is fighting a Kusa-nin that way." Naruto pointed to another direction. "One of them is coming this way while the other is hanging around the first."

"Maybe he has the scroll and was sent off to avoid capture," Tenten suggested. "Alright, I know this isn't in our original plan, but we're going to capture that guy. Everyone hide!"

As the group leapt into the trees, Naruto had to wonder who that Kusa-nin was if he could hold off all of Team Seven by himself. He must be a monster...

Several hundred yards away, Team Seven was fighting for their very survival. It had only been a few hours into the exam until they had run into this...freak...of a Kusa-nin.

"Sasuke-kun, your eyes are amazing," the man stated as an impossibly long tongue flicked out of his mouth. The poor boy actually shivered. It wasn't every day that someone other than his fangirls looked at him like a piece of meat.

The Kusa-nin hardly batted an eye as a kunai whizzed by his head. "But your teammates seem to be less than accommodating."

Sakura pulled out another kunai and sent it sailing towards the strange shinobi with much the same results. It was galling to say the lest. "What the hell are you?!" she shouted, trying to divert attention from Neji.

Several moments before the ambush, Neji had warned his team and taken off to get the drop on the ambushers. With that knowledge, Sakura and Sasuke had developed a quick plan based on keeping any and all attention on themselves.

However, their plan was quickly derailed when Neji dropped from the trees above. The Kusa-nin caught Neji's arms in one hand, stopping him with inhuman strength. "Hyuuga, I see those eyes are as good as ever."

Neji let out a yell when the lanky man deftly tossed him by the arms into a tree. The force was enough that the pale boy coughed up a few drops of blood as he slumped down onto a branch. He didn't rise.

Sasuke's eyes burned upon seeing the savage display and he launched a reckless attack at the smirking man.

Projectile after projectile was launched at the man until, finally, one of them caught the Kusa-nin in the mouth. It was only a matter of pulling the wire taunt and launching a quick katon to nuke his face.

"Ku ku ku ku ku..."

The two remaining members of Team Seven looked up at the laughing man who was in quite good spirits for having half of his face burnt off. Like a snake shedding, flakes of skin were falling off revealing the most piercing eye either Genin had ever witnessed.

It focused on them and made Sasuke and Sakura feel like cornered mice. Their muscles locked up, their breathing hitched, and Sasuke felt his hair standing on-end. It was terrifying.

"Excellent...I sense more potential in you than even Itachi," the strange ninja stated. Although Sakura didn't know who Itachi was, obviously the name held significance for Sasuke as he stopped struggling. "I would give you a going away present, but there's really no need." The way the man laughed made it seem like everyone was in a joke but them.

"Y-y-you...what do you...know about It-Itachi..."

Again, the ninja turned around slowly with that same creepy chuckle. "When the time comes, find me and I might tell you, Sasuke-kun." With that, the paralyzing fear was gone...along with the mysterious attacker...

Walking idly along in the forest of death, the second member of the Kusa team was wasting time. However, something wasn't right with this man. No, not right at all...

"You guys all sweat like pigs," the head part of the Kusa-nin stated, it's voice sounding oddly feminine yet rough. "If I don't get out of this damn forest I'm going to skin someone alive."

The legs were obviously not having that great of a time as they mumbled, "You think that's bad? We have to deal with you on the rag." Of course, the legs got punched savagely for that one.

In the nearby trees, Naruto, Tenten, and Lee watched this strange action with varying degrees of disbelief. Oh well, a crazy ninja would probably be easier to deal with than a sane one. Naruto couldn't shake the feeling he knew that first voice from somewhere before, though.

Despite his arguing with himself, the Kusa-nin deftly dodged the hail of kunai aimed at him and continued to dance around. Another barrage, this time coming from the opposite direction, faired about the same.

"Nice try!" the Grass-nin called out in his former, deep voice. "You almost got me."

Naruto and Tenten jumped out of the trees on either side of the Genin. "Give up your scroll before you get hurt," Tenten ordered. However, the attention of the Kusa-nin was not on her.

Instead, Naruto found himself in a staring match with the mask-wearing ninja. Now that he was close, the feeling of familiarity was even harder to ignore than before.

"Who are you?" Naruto demanded. Something about this ninja seriously threw him off-balance.

"Catch me and find out," the teen replied before moving to leap off. However, he was caught unprepared as Lee was closing in on him from behind.

The green beast had been waiting for a signal from Tenten to spring his part of the ambush. When Naruto distracted the ninja, that signal had been given.

The hard haymaker would have completely laid out the Kusa-nin...if he hadn't have split himself apart. The top half sailed over Lee's arm while the bottom part ducked.

Naruto watched in awe as the clothes were pushed off the top half of the body along with the face of the teen. Remaining was nothing but the red eyes of a face he knew staring back at him.

"T-Tayuya?!" the boy yelled as the lithe female jumped onto the side of a nearby tree. The other half of the former Kusa-nin shed it's "skin" to become a pale boy in matching robes.

The white-haired boy cracked his neck a few times and haughtily looked at the group before him. "Trash like you got through our disguise. We'll never hear the end of this," he moaned.

Tayuya, who had until now been watching Naruto's reaction, spared a glance at her teammate. "Shut the hell up, fag. Split up and loose these bastards!"

When the redhead made a brake for the trees, Naruto quickly followed, leaving his team to catch up with the single enemy. Thoughts were running through his mind about why the Oto-nin was in this exam in the first place. At least now he knew why the Kusa-nin had felt so familiar, though.

"Get lost!" Tayuya called back as she tossed a kunai at her pursuer.

Naruto dodged the pointy implement of death and threw one of his own which was likewise deflected by the girl's flute. "Not a chance!" he answered.

Suddenly, Naruto lost the girl in the deep foliage. One minute she was there, the next she wasn't. As he reached the spot where he has lost her, the boy was too wrapped up in looking ahead to dodge the powerful kick that caught him on the head.

Tayuya gingerly dropped down from the branch she had swung up into and followed up her ambush with several hard strikes to the boy's chest. Her fists landed with enough force that she felt the air rushing out of Naruto's lungs.

Using what little air he had left, Naruto pushed himself off the branch he was sitting on into the air to get away from the assault. Activating his Sharingan, Naruto was determined to get some answers.

"Rematch time, huh?" Tayuya asked as she saw the tome morph into existence. "Fine by me, bastard. I owe you a few kicks."

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, ignoring Tayuya's hostility. How could he fight the girl? She had practically saved his life. "There weren't supposed to be any other Sound teams in the exam!"

Tayuya didn't answer and instead started to play her flute. The haunting melody lanced through the air and wrapped around Naruto like an invisible fog, dulling his senses to the world around him.

It was a genjutsu, that much he knew. The lines of chakra were easily visible to this eyes but despite that he couldn't break it. In the background he could hear Tayuya laughing but the sound came to his ears as if he were rapidly sinking underwater.

Trying to move, the boy found his motor skills to be slow and sluggish no matter how much force he put into his steps. It was a task just to see where he was even putting his feet and eventually he was completely off-balance and lost his grip on the branch. It proved to be too difficult to mold chakra when you couldn't even be sure which way was up.

Naruto knew it was bad when his forehead hit a branch on the long way down. It sent his body spinning midair and his feet hit several more branches until he landed hard on the soft undergrowth of the Forest of Death. Laying there, slipping in and out of consciousness, he was vaguely aware of someone looming over him. Their long hair spilled over his face and their sent filled his nostrils.

"Listen," the voice said, coming in closer to his ear, "don't get your ass killed in this thing. Stay away from the Oto-nins...shit, just get the hell out of this village."

Just as quickly as the voice had came, it left, leaving the boy to finally slip into the sweet embrace of unconsciousness.

As she covered the boy's body with leaves to hide him, Tayuya wondered why she decided to let the blond brat live. This was an extremely important mission and although the other two had seen her and Sakon, they didn't actually know who they worked for. Naruto, though, could alert someone and maybe tip the Leaf off.

Still, there was just something about him that put her off balance. His sunny disposition back at the Valley of the End had drawn her just a bit out of the shell firmly placed around her personality...if only for a moment.

Looking at her work with a scowl, Tayuya also wondered why she went to this much trouble. She drops him out of a seven storey tree but gives him advice to save his life later along with hiding him? Work was work and extra was extra, she supposed, but it still left a bad taste in her mouth when she repeated it to herself mentally.

She had finished hiding the unconscious Naruto just in time as Sakon landed in front of her.

"Did you lose that kid?" he asked, cracking his neck as if being chased by Tenten and Lee hadn't even been a warm-up for him.

Tayuya snorted and pushed past her teammate. "You don't see him, do you?" she asked back. "I've been waiting on you to stop playing with that trash and get your fag ass back here. We still have to catch up with Orochimaru-sama."

By now, Sakon and the rest of the team, with the exception of Jirobo, had come to ignore Tayuya's mouth. "That blond kid looked familiar, didn't he?" he asked. It was on the tip of his tongue, jabbing at his memory.

Sakon's words made Tayuya pause for a moment. "He did?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "I didn't notice. Trash is trash and a mission is a mission. If we don't pull this off who do you think Orochimaru will take it out on?"

"Heh, good point," Sakon granted and the two Oto-nin sprinted off to find their leader. The redhead did manage to give a Naruto-shaped lump of leaves one last look over her shoulder as they left. She hoped the annoying brat was cognitive enough to have heard her advice because things were going to get very ugly soon...and there was no way everyone was going to survive...

* * *

Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun. End of the chapter, folks! What's going to happen to Naruto when he's away from his team? Where's Ino's team? What about that lovable sack of scales that's supposed to be traveling around with Naruto? Will Hinata finally get some Midol?! All these questions and more to be answered next chapter! See you then; same Naruto place, same Naruto channel. 


	20. Over the Hill

And so the people have spoken. They want Naruto and Anko-centric chapters. Well, I am but a humble writer so I must bend to my public. I'll try to put in more Naruto for you guys but I honestly like writing Ino and Sakura. In your reviews, I'd like to hear some opinions about splitting the story in a few chapters into two separate ones that crisscross with each other at certain points. Of course, this would be the main story but pretty soon some favorite characters are going to...well, I don't want to give it away. Anyway, it's safe to say that Ino and Sakura will be in that group. It's just an idea I'm throwing around so tell me what you think.

Ah, ye reviewers of little faith. I'd like to point out that Naruto has never dealt well with Genjutsu so Tayuya overpowering him, even with the Sharingan, is in the realm of this story. Really, this is Naruto, not Sasuke. Even though it's AU, I try to keep it realistic. Also, there is a fair bit of cursing in this chapter so I might bump it up to M in a few chapters. If you think I should, tell me.

I'm trying a new writing style. Instead of insane dialog, I'm writing it more...I don't know what to call it but it's not the same as before! The super fight scene in the middle, you'll know which one, comes off amazingly because of it. I'm amazed that I could write something like that, honestly. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy the latest chapter of Black Sheep!

* * *

**Chapter 20: Over The Hill  
**

* * *

Anko was rather enjoying her time off. Eating dango all day long along with hot tea? Could anything be better? No annoying underlings, no annoying neighbors, no annoying missions, and most of all, no annoying brats. They were all busy killing each other in the forest.

Alas, her brief reprieve was shattered as one of her Chuunin ran up to her just as the finishing touch was put on a nice little leaf symbol on a tree opposite to where she was sitting.

"Anko-sama!" the man gasped, out of breath. "We found some bodies!"

The purple-haired woman frowned. That was it? Just a few bodies? It was the Chuunin Exam, of course there were bodies! Honestly, sometimes she wondered just how much the requirements to make Chuunin had slipped in all the years since she took her exam.

Humoring the man, Anko waved her hand in a dismissing gesture. "This thing is going to be a bloodbath, don't lose your lunch this early."

The Chuunin, however, furiously shook his head. "These bodies are weird, Anko-sama! Please come take a look."

Weird? Things were already at the weird stage? Still, the Genin in the forest shouldn't know much of anything past entry-level jutsu and maybe a few parlor tricks...nothing that even the most inept of Chuunin couldn't identify. Oh well, it could be fun, Anko decided as she tossed away her empty tea cup and followed the Chuunin towards the bodies.

----

The sun somehow managed to penetrate deep enough into the trees so that it hit the forest floor below and warmed the air. In this balmy atmosphere, one particular pile of leaves was really starting to cook. It would surely be enough to aggravate anything under all those leaves.

Several loud coughs rang through the silent forest as Naruto hacked and gagged on bits of dirt that had gotten into his lungs during his little nap. Sitting up faster than was probably healthy after such a long fall, Naruto pounded his chest to get the debris clear of his body.

After his lungs and mouth were relatively clear of plant matter, the boy rubbed his head and looked around. How did he get on the ground? What was he even doing out here for that matter? Everything was so hazy but...

"...it was Tayuya," Naruto groaned. "That psycho bitch almost killed me!" Needless to say, that was one memory he wouldn't soon forget. Looking up into the trees around him, he could tell where he had fallen from based on all the broken limbs. "Why was I covered in leaves, though?" he wondered. Maybe she had tried to bury him in some sort of half-assed grave...

Not trusting his legs to hold him at the moment, the blond pushed more of the leaves off his body and took stock of his condition. Based on the abso-freaking-lutly horrible pain shooting up his left arm every time he tried to move it, Naruto guessed that it was out of joint. His left leg was also hurting something fierce although it wasn't broken as he could move his toes. Thank Kami for small favors.

'_I've got to set this,' _Naruto told himself. Anko had taught him how to do things like dislocated joints but...it was something he had never gotten a hang of. Oh well, he would just have to improvise. That tree over there seemed good enough to help things along...only it was so far away...

Drawing upon whatever reserves he had, Naruto struggled to his feet. His leg instantly gave out, sending the boy to the ground on his dislocated shoulder eliciting a shrill yell that was loud enough to send nearby birds nosily flapping off in fright. That wasn't good. There were still teams around and if one of those teams found Naruto like this he wouldn't even be able to put up a defense.

Suddenly, an idea struck the boy and he bit off several curses trying to roll over onto his back before finally succeeding. Shaking his sleeve a few times with his good arm, Naruto hissed through the pain, "Orochi, get out here!"

Nothing. The snake had obviously headed off on its own if it wasn't in the sleeve. Naruto couldn't believe that the serpent had just left him out here in the Forest of Death, wounded, and not at least tried to wake him up! Naruto couldn't focus on that too long, though, as daylight was burning. Odds were that there was at least one team around that would have heard him yell earlier.

"I don't need that damn snake anyway," Naruto grunted as he dabbed his hand into the blood flowing from one of his many head wounds. Once it was coated, he found a nice firm stick to bite into as he rolled over onto his left side so he could form the hand seals he needed with his limp arm.

There was at least one snake he could summon that could help with this current problem. "_**Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Jagoemon!"**_

Unlike most other summons, there was no smoke when Naruto touched his hand to the ground beside him. The Genin knew the snake was around, however. "Hey, get your hide up here a minute, Jagoemon," he called out.

There was a slight rumbling as the ground next to the blond opened up and it made Naruto grunt with pain as his arm was disturbed. He bit his tongue, though, as he didn't want to upset the snake until it had done its job.

From the hole, a multicolored head about as wide as Naruto's width popped out. The blue and red eyes of the snake took in the sight of its injured summoner while its forked tongue searched out any nearby threats. It substantially slid out of the hole once it found nothing around.

This snake, although unable to speak, was one of the oldest members of the serpent order. Orochi had once told Naruto that Jagoemon once terrorized the peoples of every country until an army of shinobi had sealed him away in the summon dimension. It wasn't a very pleasant fate and it had taken several sacrifices for Naruto to get on the beast's good side. He hoped those farmers never found out what happened to all that cattle...

"Hey, I need some help to set my arm," Naruto said once the snake had curled up next to him. "I can't do it myself. Just wrap around me and squeeze when I tell you to."

Not particularly liking this kind of grunt work, but aware that Naruto must have been at wits end to summon him for something like this, the snake did as ordered and wrapped his powerful coils around the small boy's chest. With all the cursing the little human was doing with every motion, Jagoemon would have thought he was dieing rather than having one little joint out of place.

Naruto took a few deep breaths after the snake was in position. Damn that had hurt! Couldn't the slithering belt been a bit gentler? He wasn't some kind of wildebeest or something! Still, he manipulated his arm as best he could until he felt the joint line back up. "Okay, squeeze!"

The resulting scream that was ripped from Naruto's mouth was enough to make even the seasoned summon cringe. He felt the bone go back into joint and eased off but the kid was still trashing around in obvious pain. Using his coils, the snake tried to keep the kid still so he wouldn't go and hurt himself again. After a few minutes of vigorous cursing and threats of violence to anyone that came to mind, Naruto calmed down.

That had not been pleasant but at least the pain had died down and his arm no longer felt like it was going to jump off his body. "Thanks," he rasped out to the large snake still wearyingly watching him, "watch over this place for a second, I need to get something for my leg out of my coat."

Naruto wished there were some water around so he could just make a mizu bunshin and have an extra set of working hands. Beggars couldn't be choosers, though. His right hand slowly worked its way into his coat. Now that his left arm wasn't throbbing, he could bend slightly to get into the little pocket and pulled out a small red pill. Popping it into his mouth, the boy felt an instant wave of relief and energy pour over him. He had used soldier pills before but he had done so sparingly. Some people could get dependent on them and he would be the first person to admit he had a control problem.

"Better," Naruto stated as he struggled to his feet. He still couldn't move his left arm very much but the pill had numbed the pain a great deal. He didn't even feel his leg hurting anymore. "You did pretty good, Jagoemon. You can go-" he turned to the snake but cut himself off once he saw the blue and red serpent had already left. "That bastard Orochi is rubbing off on them."

Now, if only Naruto knew how long he had been out. The exam only lasted three days and his body, pain aside, felt pretty stiff. He could have been longer than a day although he didn't want to believe it. Two days to make it over 10 kilometers injured? No team? No partner? Just perfect. This was going to be a serious headache.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't one part of team smartass."

Speaking of headaches, Naruto looked up into a nearby tree and nearly growled at the three Genin sitting on one of the larger branches. Hinata looked over a Kiba and laughed. "Looks like you were right, you did hear someone out here screaming his head off like an idiot."

Kiba looked a bit disappointed, however. "Damn it! I wanted to find that little bitch that's on his team," he growled. Apparently he was still smarting over Tenten's comments before the exam started. The comment made Naruto flinch and that didn't go unnoticed by the Inuzuka. Sensing blood, he broke out into a smirk. "You know where she is, don't ya? Tell us now and we might let you go."

Naruto did his best to put up a strong front. If _this_group were to find out the extent of his injuries they wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of it. He was sure the only things that kept them from attacking now were that they didn't know and his status as the Hokage's grandson.

"They're probably already at the tower," he lied, trying to look amused and smug rather than threatened. "I'm just staying behind to take care of any stragglers to cut down on the competition." Naruto made sure to give Team Eight his most sadistic grin and try to scare them off.

However, he underestimated the young Hyuuga's abilities. "You're lying through your teeth. If you were cutting down on other teams, you'd have ambushed us the second you knew we were here," she stated in a lazy drawl. "Not just that, we managed to get this close to you without you even knowing we were here. I'd say you got separated from your team. Nice bluff, though."

So, the jig was up? Naruto's grin dropped and his lips became a grim line as he stared down the other team. "So, what are you guys planning to do, then? I might be separated but don't forget who I am."

The two Genin laughed as they watched Naruto tense up. "Do you think I would overlook something like that?" Hinata asked.

The way she said it set off every alarm in Naruto's head and he grunted with effort as his legs pushed him into the air. It was a good thing, too, as the forest floor below had turned into a writing mass of insects. The small bugs were moving as a wave and quickly followed Naruto into the tree he had landed in. Not worrying about Hinata and Kiba, Naruto again leapt into another tree.

By now, the Genin was figuring out what was going on. The third member of Team Eight, Aburame Shino, had gotten the drop on him while he had been talking! He was certainly not currently living up to the Uchiha name right now, Naruto noted with a snarl as yet again the tree he was sitting on was being taken over by destruction bugs.

Enough of this, time for a little bug removal. Staying on the large tree longer than was probably safe, Naruto waited until it was absolutely swarming with the little bugs before leaping off. Freefalling, the boy quickly pulled out exploding tags and kunai and tossed them at the base of the tree. As he landed, the tags went off and the tree-full of bugs dropped to the forest floor with a deafening roar.

"_**Katon: Karyuu Endan!" **_The line of fire torched the forest as it snaked towards the tree. Some of the destruction bugs managed to get off of the tree before it turned into an inferno but the majority were cooked along with most of the area. Naruto couldn't worry about the fire getting out of control, though, as the moment he hit the ground he was already dodging an attack from Kiba.

The young Inuzuka had gradually lost his joviality as he watched Naruto dodge wave after wave of Shino's bugs. He never did trust those bugs, he knew Shino couldn't get the job done. When they got barbequed by the other Genin he decided to act. Taking Akamaru with him, he had left the relative safety of his perch and dropped onto the other boy with a growl.

Naruto was being pressed by the constant attack from his unwitting relative. Kiba was surprisingly adept at taijutsu, more so than Naruto would have expected from another Genin, and he was finding himself rapidly losing ground. The toll the constant dodging and retreats were having on his body was also an annoying reminder that his body was far from perfect. His leg was starting to hurt even with the soldier pill and his left arm was practically useless. There was only one way for him to get out of this and as much as Naruto hated to do it, it was his only chance.

"Last chance, Kiba! Back off," Naruto growled as he leapt back from the other boy. Hinata and Shino were both following but they were content to let Kiba take care of things. Shino, though, looked pretty mad that so many of his bugs had gotten the ax.

Kiba, brazen as ever, shared a laugh with Akamaru. "Yeah right, make us back off! I'll use you as a warm-up before I take out the rest of your loser team." Behind him, Hinata's face was tense as she activated her blood limit. There was something she remembered her cousin spouting during their first meeting with this boy that unnerved her...

Okay, this was it. If Kiba wanted to go for bust and push him this much it would be his fault, not Naruto's. He would have to find something else to surprise everyone else with at the finals, it would seem. Focusing his chakra, Naruto started to mold it to his feet. Once he let loose with this, Shino and Hinata were sure to join in.

"It's time to show you guys just what you're messing with!" Naruto declared, trying to draw their attention away from anything but him. "My clan was the most powerful force ever in this entire village and you want to push me, Kiba? Alright, get ready and remember that you..."

Naruto's eyes blazed red as his Sharingan came to life. No more holding back. "...remember that you asked for it."

Kiba took a step back when Akamaru barked a few times in warning. The air had defiantly changed and both boy and dog could tell. For the life of him, though, he didn't know what Naruto was going on about. His clan the most powerful? Kiba had never even heard of another Uzumaki in Konoha. When the Sharingan appeared in the blonde's eyes, though, things hit home.

"He's an Uchiha!" Hinata called out, giving voice to everyone's thoughts. It was impossible, all of the Uchiha had been wiped out years ago except for one notable exception. This was insane, outlandish, completely and utterly chaotic!

Hinata and Shino instantly got serious by activating their respective traits. Although his colony was near-depleted, Shino still had a fair amount of destruction bugs which were swarming around him and Hinata's own blood limit was trained on the boy standing a few yards away. Kiba too retook his stance as Naruto seemingly exploded towards them.

Going for broke, Naruto charged Kiba first as he was the one with the biggest opening. Launching himself into the air half-way to the boy, Naruto caught him with a devastating missile kick that sent Kiba and his partner sailing past his teammates into the burning foliage behind them.

Shino took the opportunity to hit before Naruto could land and sent his bugs flying at the Uchiha. Naruto saw them coming and subtly sifted his body to land on his right arm . Immediately, he pushed himself upwards and over the swarm. Shino caught the back of Naruto's heel as the blond tried to put him down with one motion. However, the defense didn't hold up as Naruto used that leg for leverage to launch himself up into the air once again. The Aburame prodigy turned around as quickly as possible but it was useless for him to struggle against the precognitive ability of the Sharingan. Naruto easily saw where Shino would hit and subtly moved out of the way of the other boy's punch. Completely off guard, Shino was sent into the underbrush from a vicious uppercut.

"An Uchiha, I thought you were all dead," Hinata commented, not even bothering to see where Shino landed. He wouldn't be getting up any time soon, that was for sure. "Not even my clan knew about you, was the Hokage hiding you?"

Naruto adjusted his stance, keeping his good arm forward. He had no idea what Hinata would throw at him since she didn't seem too worried. "I don't need to be reminded that most of my family is dead! My grandfather took me in, not hide me."

The pale girl shrugged. Whatever this kid wanted to believe was his business, not hers. She almost envied him. Growing up without a clan pressing down on him, no fights with clan elders, no crushing traditions that pitted child against child...she hated him already.

The attack came so swiftly that Naruto almost couldn't avoid it even with the Sharingan. Hinata was instantly in his face with strike after strike being batted away. However, with a bad arm hits were landing. Two on his right arm, one on his chest, another three on his left...

Numbness was the first thing Naruto started to feel where he was hit. It was odd since Hinata was more tapping than striking but the attacks were frighteningly affective. Kakashi had told him about the power of the Juuken before but this...this was more than he could handle right now. However, Hinata was not about to let him escape and she pushed forward and landed two hard hits on his wounded shoulder. In addition to blocking the chakra flow to Naruto's entire left arm, the hits served to aggravate his former injury and the boy cried out in pain. An opportunistic sweep from Hinata took her opponent's legs out from under him and put Naruto at her mercy.

"Now, give me your scroll if you have it, Uchiha," Hinata ordered as she put a kunai to the fallen boy's throat. "If you don't, your team will be one short."

"Screw you!" was Naruto's less-than-polite reply. It only served to make Hinata dig the kunai into his throat harder, drawing blood. If he didn't think of something soon, he would be gone for sure. The rivalry between the Hyuuga and Uchiha went back decades and it most certainly was passed down to the future head of the main family. She probably wouldn't let him live even if he did have the scroll.

Suddenly, Hinata's eyes widened and she started running towards the nearest tree she could find. Naruto sat up in confusion until he saw exactly why Hinata was so spooked. A lump of ground was following her as she ran and nearly caught up as she took to a tree.

The lump circled the tree a few times before heading back over to Naruto. The Genin was wary at first but his worry soon became relief as a familiar head popped from the ground.

"Hell yes! Score one for Jagoemon!" Naruto shouted as the snake kept an eye on the Hyuuga scowling at him. If it wasn't for that annoying Byakugan Hinata would have been snake food.

Naruto struggled to get to his feet and brushed himself off. The fire he had started earlier was getting close and he didn't want to stick around. Looking up at his former opponent, the cheeky blond made sure to flip her off before heading off towards the tower. He would leave Jagoemon there to make sure he wasn't followed, the snake could unsummon himself.

Hinata grasped the branch she was holding onto so hard that it started to splinter under her fingers. A summon! Of course the grandson of the Hokage would know something like that, she should have expected it! Hinata could see it crawling through the dirt below her tree and the fire was getting closer. As Naruto had retreated, she had signaled to Kiba and Shino not to follow without her incase they ran into the rest of his team on the way to the tower. Kiba's coat was still smoldering from when he had made a mad dash out of the burning bushes Naruto had kicked him into and it would be very difficult for Shino to keep him calm for much longer.

"This is beyond annoying," Hinata stated as she broke off a dead limb from above. Looking over the side of the limb she was sitting on, she took out a kunai before tossing the deadwood away. Predictably, the snake took the bait and raised towards the new vibrations. When his head popped up from the ground, Hinata sent the kunai through it's skull, dismissing it forcibly.

As she rejoined her team in fleeing from the burning forest, Hinata quietly simmered, her anger burning hundreds of times hotter than any of the flames licking at their heels. That Uchiha brat would pay for this insolence in spades...

-----

Anko looked up at the massive column of smoke rising from her test ground and added it to her mental to-do list. She couldn't just let the entire forest burn down, it would take years to grow back! She would take a squad to put out the fire as soon as she got done looking over these "strange" bodies that her Chuunin assistant kept yammering about. Oh well, she'd be sure to humor the underlings for a bit then take care of it.

When she arrived at the small park outside of the forest, Anko lazily walked up to the group of Chuunin that looked ready to hurl their lunch. Spineless! That's what they were! Chuunin that couldn't take some blood and guts, it was unheard of.

The blood staining the Buddha statues was so nice and rich...such a waste, Anko thought. She walked around the crowd and noticed that for the most part the bodies themselves were untouched. Looks like a clean kill, not something she'd expect from a Genin. She stopped cold when she saw the faces...or lack thereof.

"This...this is..." Anko's mind nearly went blank. **He**was here, in this village, in that forest, with...oh Kami. She turned on the Chuunin standing around with a look of sheer fright. They had never seen something spook Anko this badly. "You guys, go alert Hokage-sama and tell him to meet me in the Forest Tower! The rest of you go get the ANBU captains and tell them to find me in the forest! Do it now!"

As she rushed through the forest, Anko could practically smell the stench of that man in the air around her. Her shoulder was practically throbbing at the thought of seeing his face, hearing his voice, dealing with his overwhelming presence. He was in her sights and nothing, no one, would stop her from her revenge. Not even her new family...Kakashi, Naruto, even the Hokage...Anko would miss them all but this wasn't something she could let slip by. She would bet her life here and now and hope to win it big.

The fire had grown to massive proportions now but lucky for everyone it was between the fork of the river that ran through the forest. It couldn't spread easily so it should be contained. Anko marked that section of the forest off her list of concerns as she searched for her former teacher in the Forest of Death. Unlike the Genin in the test, Anko was well acquainted with the forest to the point where she could find her way out blindfolded and under genjutsu. That was the test to make Special Jounin over the Second Exam, after all. If it wasn't for that counsel, she would be a full Jounin. All thanks to_his _taint on her.

'_Payback's a bitch, Orochimaru,'_ Anko thought to herself as she practically slid through the forest like an animal...or demon. She wasn't stupid, though. Orochimaru was infinitely stronger than she would ever be. He was a Sannin, a genius that was only born ever decade or so. He was even a candidate for the position of Forth Hokage. If she could surprise him...any shinobi could be killed in a surprise or sudden attack. It didn't matter if they were a Kage or Genin. Perhaps Orochimaru wouldn't expect her to still be using all of his forbidden jutsu? It was the best plan she had so it would have to do.

As Anko rounded a particularly large tree, she noticed a flash of motion in a dense patch of canopy. The Jounin zeroed in on the motion and gracefully changed her course and pushing her body to catch-up with whatever it was. As she cleared a tree, Anko looked down as she caught some air and tried to see more of what she was pursuing. It was...yellow? Part of it was yellow, at least. Wait, was that yellow hair? "Could it be...?"

"...Anko-chan."

The words stopped her dead-flight and she landed hard enough on a nearby tree branch to splinter it in half. "...Orochimaru."

Seemingly melted into the tree trunk itself, a pair of piercing eyes bored two holes into her head. The eyes of the Snake Sannin, the most famous and feared missing-nin in Konoha's history, was looking at her like she were his prey. Perhaps she was, Anko mused.

Not even bothering for words, Anko sprang into action. She used the branch she was on as a springboard and launched herself upwards as she pulled several poisoned needles from her coat sleeve. Orochimaru, guessing exactly what type of poison his former student would use, quickly used his impossibly-long tongue to capture Anko's wrist and force her to drop the needles.

Anko grunted at the pressure put on her wrist and decided to deal with this directly. "You won't win! Not this time!" Wrapping some slack around her arm, the woman used the tongue as a rope to swing rather than land. Orochimaru was pulled completely out of the tree as he fought to keep a grip on the tree. Unfortunately, Anko had already swung upwards behind the branch and kicked the man with enough force to crack his skull open.

Imagine Anko's surprise as instead of that gratifying crunch coming from under her foot the man simply disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Before she fell to her death, Anko used a quick _Seneijashu_ to pull her back onto the branch.

"Kukukuku, you've gotten better, Anko-chan." The real Orochimaru hopped down from his vantage point and regarded his former student with a critical eye. "Amazing that you haven't let your skills relapse after I had no more use for you."

"I've been bored between bouts of cursing your name and cursing myself so I had the time," Anko quipped back. Orochimaru wasn't going to let down his guard easily so she had to get him some other way. ANBU were on their way so maybe she could keep him talking? "So, who was that I was chasing? I assume they work for you."

Orochimaru smirked in a way that let Anko know he knew exactly what she was doing. Despite that, he sat down with his back against the tree. He did make Anko's cursed seal flare in pain to keep her in check, however. "That was one of my many little helpers in this village," he responded. "It seems you're getting closer to your little student. It's nice to see you're taking after my teaching method."

Anko snapped. There were no other words for the raw rage and emotion those few words from Orochimaru's thrust upon her. Her seal started to smoke and she took a step forward, something that caused the Sannin in front of her to raise an eyebrow at.

"Don't ever...say that again," Anko growled as a few bands of black snaked around her neck, "Naruto and I have something that I would never taint. You say something like that again and I will rip your tongue out of your fucking mouth!"

The Sannin moved to his feet as he watched the transformation take place before him. After all this time Anko's Heaven Seal was working? It was amazing in his opinion. For years she had never been able to activate it, she didn't have the motivation to activate it. Unlike his personal guard, Anko lacked the desire for power or the rage to bring it out. Looking at her now one wouldn't think that. Her body was covered in the odd runes of the Heaven Seal. Her eyes were a sickly yellow, staring at him in bold defiance and unburdened rage. Not even he, the person that placed the seal on Anko, could hold it back any longer.

Anko crouched like a wild animal, her fingers twitching at the prospect of not only killing the person she hated most but the raw amount of power coursing through her. It was intoxicating and welcoming, luring her in with whispers of further power and influence. Right now, though, her sights were only on one target: Orochimaru.

Apparently the Snake Sannin figured as much and he chuckled at the prospect. It was ironic that only after he had tossed Anko aside that she learn to use that seal he gave her. The fight with Sasuke had left him wanting to seeing just what his former pupil had been up to over these last decade would be fun. Spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture, he decided to kick things off. "Come and kill me, Anko. If you can, you can save this village and everyone in it. Show me your conviction."

That was all it took to set the antsy Special Jounin off. In a blur of motion, Anko was upon him. Her fists lashed out at rates that would have made anyone else lose count but Orochimaru was not just any ordinary person. He did have to concentrate to block all of the blows, though, and that was a testament to the new power Anko found herself imbued with.

When Orochimaru weathered the attack and picked just the right spot to lance out his own strike it became obvious who was still held the advantage...in terms of strength. Anko rolled with the punch and used its own momentum to fully rotate her body into a spinning kick which caught the Sannin squarely in the head. More shocked than anything, Orochimaru cracked a smile as he felt a tiny sliver of blood trickle down from his mouth. In some morbid way he was proud of his student for accomplishing even this much even if he was just playing. He might actually have to use ten percent of his total power to subdue the woman.

Anko had enough of bland conversation and staring contests, however. Even as Orochimaru was rising from the ground she was going through hand seals. **"**_**Katon: Haisekisho!" **_The cloud of ash Anko breathed out at her teacher caused the bark of the trees around them to burn off. Orochimaru recognized the attack and moved to get out of the cloud but he wasn't fast enough.

"There you are," Anko purred once Orochimaru leapt out of the cloud. His fake face had melted off and judging from his frown he wasn't very happy. Anko didn't care. She was right back on the attack using her new well of chakra to reinforce her limbs. The sheer power behind the blows was making the branches they were battling on shake every time the Sannin blocked. Deciding to up the ante a bit, Orochimaru lashed out faster than Anko could even _see _with his foot. She had watched the Hokage give a few exhibitions earlier in life, and he always put one on for the Jounin exams, but being on the receiving end of such a force was a new experience.

Anko's coat billowed in the air as she rapidly flew past trees. The force had been so sudden and violent that there was no hope of a defense. However, when the Sannin's long tongue caught her ankle, the world went sideways. With incredible power and muscle control, Orochimaru rolled his neck and planted his former student face-first into a tree with enough force to shake it from canopy to roots.

Beyond the obvious pain in her head, Anko felt her body responding. Even though it hurt, a hit like that should have killed her. There was just no way for the human body to survive impacts like that. Yet, throughout her life she had seen figures above her do it time and time again. Take impossible amounts of damage and still get up. Kakashi, the Hokage, the man she was currently fighting...they all had something extra. Right now, Anko felt she had something extra as well. The Cursed Seal. It was pulsing in her blood. The forbidden power that pulled out your hidden talent and reserved, molded you to Orochimaru's will. It was something she had been afraid of using her entire life, a mark of shame that she even asked the Hokage himself to help her hide. Now, though, she was using it, accepting it, and she had become...more.

"More..." Anko whispered as she pushed out of the small crater she had made in the tree trunk she had been driven into. "More." She clenched her hand into a fist, not feeling much worse for ware. She was bleeding, she could feel it running down her face, but she knew it wasn't a major injury. It was just one more thing to push her onwards. "More!" Anko shouted at a bemused Orochimaru. "I'm going to kill you with your own damned seal!"

The Sannin watched with something akin to pride as Anko seemingly shrugged-off wounds that would have broke her in half a few minutes ago. She was improving with every attack, with every second that ticked by! When he had taken her on as a student he knew she was different. Anko was the first person to ever survive getting a cursed seal. She had potential that even rivaled Sasuke's if she would only find it. He was an excellent judge of talent and that hadn't changed. He readied himself as she jumped at him like a feral dog. Her eyes, yellow and blazing, threatened to consume him with the little power he was allowing himself to use and it was an exhilarating feeling.

Orochimaru lashed out with another kick just as Anko just as she was about to land on him. Instead of catching her mid-fall, Anko landed on the outstretched foot with only her arms holding her up. Her body bended to an incredible angle as she swung her legs over her head, her arms pivoting completely. The extreme acrobatics caught the Sannin defenseless and the force of the kick actually drove the pale man through the branch he was standing on. With the entire platform giving way, Anko pulled a kunai and followed the man to the ground. The force of her fall would be enough to drive the weapon through Orochimaru's skull.

The Sannin had different ideas. He ran through a few hand seals and actually _melted _into the ground as he hit it. Knowing the jutsu herself, Anko tossed away the kunai and managed to get out the last seal as she hit the ground. For a brief moment, all was peaceful. Then, with the force of a typhoon, the ground literally exploded. Orochimaru darted out of the flying debris and dodged the uprooted trees as a large serpent rose from the gaping chasm in the forest floor. Atop its head, a fully tattooed Anko scanned the forest for her prey. Spotting the Sannin, she ordered the monstrous summon she was on to give chase.

It was the largest snake Orochimaru had ever seen Anko summon. Even with her enlarged chakra capacity, it had to have been taxing. While it wasn't the size of Manda, it was probably the largest summon Konoha had hosted in years. It was more than capable of snapping him up alive should he let it. However, such a large thing was unwieldy and unlikely to catch him. Anko had given up mobility for power which was never a smart trade. He smirked to himself as he pulled back on the amount of chakra he was allowing himself to use, it wasn't needed.

He instantly regretted it when the ground before him erupted. Anko, yellow eyes calling for blood, rushed him with a kunai outstretched. At the speed she had launched herself and the rate the Sannin was going combined, there was no chance of dodging. Instead, Orochimaru used his arms to take the bunt of the blade so it didn't skewer his heart.

With a grunt, they both fell to the forest floor as the summoned snake popped out of existence along with the bunshin sitting on top of it. Orochimaru kicked his student off of him and looked down at the kunai impaling his arms. It had actually gone through both bones. "Simply amazing, Anko-chan. This is the most fun I've had in ages," he commented as he pulled the kunai out with his teeth. Kabuto would have to heal this later.

Anko didn't argue back but instead started going through more seals. Orochimaru, however, had other things to take care of and, reluctantly, called an ending to the fight by summoning the bulk of his chakra. The effect was immediate, Anko simply fell to her knees shaking. The killing intent that such a force projected was enough to silence the forest's animals for miles around. Walking up to the shaking woman, he affectionately rubbed her cheek with his hand. Even as bruised and bloody as she was, Anko was still as beautiful as the day he had taken her. "A wonderful fight," he informed her. "Be sure to tell that old Hokage not to call off the exams, I have three of my kids in it. If he does call it off...well, I'm sure you can guess what I'll do."

"A-are you g-going to kill Hokage-s-sama?" Anko choked. Even talking under this kind of pressure was almost too much.

Orochimaru grinned as he shook his head to the negative. "I don't have enough men for that yet," he answered. Anko noted that he hadn't even bothered to hide his plans for a future campaign. "But if he stops the exam, I might just find them." He paused as he seemingly looked past his helpless student. The man let out a small sigh as he started to sink back into the ground. "Seems my time with you is up, Anko-chan. We have to do this again..."

As soon as the Sannin had sank underneath the ground, Anko collapsed to her hand, gasping for air. Fight against Orochimaru with the cursed seal? She was insane. That man was on another level completely. Even Jiraiya couldn't kill him after all these years, what made her think that there was a chance she could? As she calmed down, the marks on her body started to retreat back into the Heaven Seal and soon she was left with only her regular chakra. The bloodlust was gone, though. It was a dangerous tool to be certain.

She felt the large chakra sources behind her and figured that's what sent Orochimaru scurrying back under whatever rock he crawled out from under. Even for him fighting against her and a few dozen ANBU captains would be rough if only for the fact that something that flashy would draw the Hokage's direct attention. Admittedly, Orochimaru couldn't take on the elderly shinobi with an audience.

"Here you are, Anko," one of the masked ANBU stated as he landed next to her. This one was wearing a bird mask and seemed to be a bit more hospitable than the other two. He even helped her up although he noticed the seal when he did. "The cursed seal? Orochimaru-"

Anko cut him off. "I need to speak with Hokage-sama immediately," she ordered. Although normally ANBU completely and utterly outranked her, Anko was **the de facto **source on Orochimaru outside of the Hokage himself so she could get away with ordering them around a bit. If it wasn't for those prudes on the council she would be in ANBU.

The man in the bird mask gave a brisk nod before signing a few things to the other captains. When they leapt off, he put Anko's arm over his shoulder. "Well, we should go to the Forest Tower, that's where the Hokage is." As they headed through the forest, Anko wondered if Naruto was somewhere out there. With Orochimaru lurking around, half the forest in flames, and no idea on what kind of threats were still lurking in the shadows things didn't look too good for the remainder of the exam.

On they way to the tower itself, the pair easily outpaced any of the Genin teams even with Anko being less than one hundred percent. Most of the Genin were simply running around the forest picking fights with random teams. Some would get there in a day, but even that was a generous assumption.

Inside the tower, the ANBU captain eased Anko down onto a sofa and checked her injuries. For certain she was lucky to be alive. A few broken ribs, probably a concussion, a broken toe or two. She was a mess. However, the Special Jounin wasn't complaining at all nor showing any signs of discomfort. It reminded the captain why this woman regularly worked with ANBU, she was an exemplary shinobi. Just because the association with Orochimaru was she held back.

"So, what happened out there, Anko?" the masked man asked, sitting down on the other end of the sofa. "Your injuries don't match up to someone who went a few rounds with Orochimaru."

For a time, the woman didn't reply. The fight had been a complete farce, Orochimaru wanted to play and that was it. Not only that, she had to use his own seal that allowed her to hit that plateau. "He wasn't in the mood to kill me. That's it."

Any response the ANBU might have said was interrupted by someone busting through the door into the lounge. Anko nearly jumped out of her skin but settled down once she realized it was one of her underlings she had left at the tower. "We're busy," she called out, not bothering to lift her head back off the sofa's pillow.

"Forgive me, Anko-sama, but you should see this," the man replied as he rushed over to the small television sitting in the room. For this, Anko managed to sit up and watch what was going on. She recognized the tape he was holding as coming from one of the security recorders stationed around the tower. When the tape started playing, she leaned closer to get a look as three Genin strolled into the tower. When she looked at the time stamp, it was a shock.

The ANBU captain, his emotions hidden behind the bird mask on his face, whistled. "Is that right? 97 minutes into the exam a team has passed. Incredible."

"That's impossible...the previous record was only four hours. And look at those three, hardly any scratches on their skin, no dirt on their clothes. I know Chuunin that can't even get through this forest without any complications."

"Looks like a reliable guy," the captain interjected, "It must be part of some ability they have. Look at that guy's eyes, though. Like a snake...pardon the pun, Anko."

Anko chuckled. "Not a snake, an animal. You'll know the eyes of a snake when you see them. Pray you never do," she said with a humorless smile.

"All this talk about snakes is making my bones cold. I feel I've been left out of something important."

All eyes turned towards the door as the Third Hokage calmly entered the room. He was smoking his pipe calmly as his eyes regarded each person before resting on Anko. "Anko, you look like you should be in a hospital," he remarked, frowning. "What has happened here?"

The purple-haired woman struggled to sit up, wincing as her ribs adjusted with her. She only hoped nothing got punctured before she could relay the vital information. "Hokage-sama...there is much to tell..." And with that, she began her story, although she was certain there would be a few minor edits...

---

Orochimaru smiled to himself as he easily avoided detection. The bulky ANBU captain that had been trailing him ever since his tactical withdrawal was certainly a cut above the rest but nothing amazing for someone of his station. It wasn't really fair to even hope that someone could track a Sannin effectively. It was a fun cat and mouse game, though, even if the ANBU thought the roles were reversed.

Eventually, though, Orochimaru grew tired of this slight diversion and completely masked his trail. Predictably, the ANBU captain could no longer track him and the Sannin left the area will little trouble. His little spy had given him much info to think over. Another survivor from the Uchiha clan, who would have imagined it? Even if he was only a half-blood, it was still worth looking into. It raised an interesting point, though. One of his darling bodyguards had apparently ran into this Uchiha survivor and hadn't mentioned it...

When the Snake Sannin reached the predetermined meeting place, he was pleased to find that his subordinates had already set up a small camp and had dinner roasting. Fish wasn't exactly his favorite thing in the world, but he had worked up a surprising appetite from his little sparring session with Anko.

"What's on the menu today, kids?" he asked as he stepped out of the forest. When the four kids jumped, his smile got wider. He loved scaring the shit out of people, it was a fun hobby. Kept his little troops on their toes.

Kidomaru crawled down the tree he had leapt into and retook his place sitting around the fire. "Just some perch we caught, Orochimaru-sama," he replied. Although Sakon would posture and say things like he was the leader of the Sound Four, it was just that. Posturing.

The Sannin nodded and took a bite out of the offered meal. It wasn't that bad, actually. He had forgotten how good the fish were in Konoha. Off to the side, Jirobo had gone back to voraciously eating his dinner while Sakon and Ukon settled on eating theirs with some form of civility. Tayuya, however, wasn't eating and she looked somewhat disturbed. It was a sharp contrast to her usual laid-back, sarcastic attitude.

Tayuya. The only girl in the group but arguably the most useful member. It would be a shame if Orochimaru had to kill her for grousing over the fact she had known of a third Uchiha survivor for several weeks.

"I have heard an interesting report from one of my spies," Orochimaru began. When the boss spoke, everyone listened. "It seems there is another Uchiha in Konoha. His name is Uzumaki Naruto, did you all know that?" The Sannin's eyes narrowed when Tayuya didn't make any noticeable reaction and he almost wondered if his information had been faulty.

That was, of course, until Sakon decided to speak up. "Uzumaki Naruto? Wasn't that the name of that guy you fought with when we were on patrol a few weeks ago, Tayuya?" he asked. He couldn't remember the guy's face very well, but the name was hard to forget.

The young sound-nin casually looked over at her teammate. Her eyes were cold, but that's how they normally were. She is unflappable outside of battle and only when fighting someone interesting will she get riled up. Orochimaru liked her for that reason, she fought with her head. Such an interesting family jutsu tree she had as well. Very interesting.

"Was that his name?" she asked, looking bored. She lazily took a bite out of her fish and pointed the stick at Sakon. "I don't remember the names of trash like that. I would have killed him if it wasn't for those Kumo-nin. He's lucky."

Orochimaru gave the girl a penetrating look. That was just the kind of thing he expected from her...maybe she honestly had no idea what she had fought? Or, more likely, this Uzumaki Naruto had no talent. Either way, it wasn't worth losing a good bodyguard over. "It's not important," Orochimaru decided, finishing up his dinner in a single bite. "My informant said he'd probably die during this exam. He's out there in the forest, alone, without his team, and being hunted."

"Other teams?" Tayuya repeated, gaining Orochimaru's attention. He nodded, amused. The redhead sighed and rose to her feet. "We have traps out but with so many shits running around they might trip them while we're asleep. I've already slept so I'll take care of it," she offered. The others were surprised, but before they could comment she was already starting off. She didn't bother looking at Orochimaru, he had left them responsible for his safety, after all, and she took off into the forest.

Sakon frowned as she left and started to get up himself to go after her but the soft laughter coming from the Sannin gave him pause. Along with the rest of the group, they looked to him for explanation. None was forthcoming, however, and the only response they got was a short, "Let her have some fun while she can," from the Sannin as he went to sleep with an amused smile on his lips.

---

In another part of the forest, another person that had certainly seen better days was making his way towards the tower. Behind him, a fire raged in the limited forest resting between a fork in the main river that bordered Konoha. In front of him, the Forest Tower could been seen against the full moon like a dark spire reaching towards heaven. His team was either back in that burning forest or somewhere along the rout to the tower. Naruto hoped they had continued onwards and look for him along the way. If they were back in that forest...he didn't even want to think about it.

Now, though, he was faced with his own dilemma. Several hours ago he felt Jagoemon's chakra disperse which meant the snake had been dispelled. That left Naruto in a bad position. With the extent of his injuries, there was no way to escape from, let along defeat, an entire team. This time they even knew exactly what to expect from him, there would be no more trump cards.

The forest on the opposite side of the river presented more cover to hide in and it was also the logical path for Tenten and Lee to take. They would have crossed the bridge after they saw the fire and continued onwards from there. They could also take out another team and get their scroll if they went that way. Of course, that was also the direction Team Eight would expect him to go and despite the soldier pill he had taken earlier, Naruto was in bad need of some sleep.

With the river at its low point, it could be transversed and the bridge could be ignored completely. No one would expect that someone could walk all the way up to the tower on the river. With Naruto chakra reserves already taxed, however, could it be done?

'_Like I have a choice,' _Naruto reminded himself before running off onto the water. He would have to travel as far as possible to get a head start on his pursuers and hopefully find a place to rest. At least out here he could use Mizu Bunshin if he needed to. It was an extremely useful skill if you had the water for it.

Unfortunately for the Genin, other people had the same idea. From the depths of the lake three people instantly felt the impulses being sent to them from the chakra Naruto was using to stay afloat. They were the elite water fighters that put even the Mist to shame. Although Kirigakure was famous for it's water jutsu, the Rain was truly the water city. They would trail him until exhaustion had set in then attack on mass. That was the true way to fight.

Blissfully unaware of his plight, Naruto pushed his body onward. By now his leg was feeling a bit better and it seemed to not be as badly hurt as the boy had originally feared. Still, his arm was out for the count for sure. Definite traction for it when he got out of here.

Suddenly, his senses picked up a chakra source. It was close but trying to stay concealed. Somewhere...below him, in the water. Naruto nearly cursed out loud at his luck. Why weren't they attacking? That was the question. The most obvious answer was that they didn't know how hurt he was so that eliminated Team Eight. Well, if they thought they could just wait him out, they had another thing coming.

"**Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!" **With so much water around, over a dozen clones arose from the deep river and started running along with the Genin. Naruto smirked when he felt the chakra source split up and spread out. So, it was a team after him. They had already made mistake number one, time to see how smart they were.

Naruto directed his clones to take a massive leap over the water with him and they all came down in different places. Under the waves, the Rain-nins were even more confused. With no sun to light the surface, they had no way of knowing that the people they were following were mostly clones. From their point of view, it seemed like an entire squad had just appeared out of nowhere. To make things even worse, everyone on the surface was running in different directions. The three shinobi split up and took separate targets.

Back on the surface, Naruto grinned when he felt one of his clones dissipate. It was one he had sent running towards the shore so that meant that one of the ninja after him was way off target. Another of his clones was destroyed further behind him and he continued onwards down the river at a leisurely pace. Therefore, it was a shock when a figure appeared from the water in front of him. From the headband, Naruto could tell they were from Hidden Rain and that didn't bode well for water combat.

If the shinobi could have smirked with that breathing apparatus in his mouth, he would have. They were all mizu bunshin! When his teammates saw that, they would come to him. Right now all he had to do was hold the four clones in front of him. It was a bit odd to see a Konoha-nin using water jutsu, but whatever.

"You guys are pissing me off!" Naruto yelled as he dodged a kunai thrust from the rain-nin. On land this wouldn't be a problem but on the water he had to keep a steady amount of chakra in his feet to stay afloat. His opponent didn't have that problem and even more was probably at home fighting in the water itself. To compound his problems, another of his clones, one that had been right beside him, was destroyed by yet another rain-nin.

The third ninja, seeing that his two teammates were having a bit of trouble hitting the little bond rat, suppressed all of his chakra accept for what it took to walk along the surface of the water. With all of the water clones gone, there was only one target to aim for as he silently pulled out a kunai. In the darkness he would have complete surprise and easily take out this guy. Just a few more steps...perfect.

"Hey trash, you're not worth anything if you have to triple-team this fag."

As a pair of strong arms wrapped around his neck, the unfortunate nin couldn't even scream as his neck was cracked faster than a chestnut. The body did twitch violently, however, and created quite a bit of thrashing. By the time Naruto and the other two rain-nin had turned, only a floating corpse remained.

Naruto took advantage of the sudden distraction and sent a kunai into the gut of his nearest opponent. With one shrill scream, the rain Genin fell back into the water and sank into the blue.

"And then there was one," Naruto said as menacingly as he could. He even put a bit of killing intent into the air, trying to bluff the last ninja.

The shinobi's eyebrows twitched as he watched the situation spiral out of control. Had they missed a water clone or something? Regardless, both of his teammates were dead and the boy before him didn't look very accommodating. Therefore, he did the only sane thing one could do in this situation. He gave up.

Naruto kept his kunai close as the other boy reached into his pouch and pulled out a Heaven Scroll, the opposite scroll to his team's Earth Scroll. Convenient. As the nin tossed it up into the air, he made a rush back into the water. Instead of following, Naruto caught the scroll and breathed a sigh of relief. Needless to say, he didn't feel the need to try out his sea legs anymore and he hurried back to shore.

It was odd how that first rain-nin had died and that thought kept Naruto on edge as he moved further into the forest. It could have been a mizu bunshin, the rain-nin hadn't taken them all out, after all. They could even act independently under certain circumstances as they were one of the more advanced clones. Something told him that it wasn't the case, however. His line of thinking was soon validated as he felt a sudden spike of chakra land behind him.

Tayuya rolled her neck with an emotionless look on her face when Naruto spun around to face her. He had out a kunai in his good hand and she could see the Sharingan flaring. Obviously he was a _little_high-strung. "Is that the thanks I get for saving your ass not once, but twice in a single day?" she asked.

"You kicked me out of a freaking tree you crazy bitch!" Naruto shouted back. He was far beyond being nice at this point.

The Oto-nin snorted at the accusation. Why was she helping this moron again? "Sakon would have skinned you alive if he had found you out there. I covered you with leaves, didn't I? More than a bastard like you deserves!"

Naruto threw up his hands in frustration. He couldn't believe this, not at all. "This is nuts, you're psycho," he declared and started to walk off...until a rather large rock beamed him in the back of the head. "What the hell, woman?!" he shrieked.

To say that Tayuya was livid would be putting it mildly. She had slugged her way through this Kami-forsaken jungle out of fucking _guilt_and this piece of shit treated her like this?! Oh hell no. "This is all your fault!" she yelled back, loosing any semblance of her cool personality. "I can't help that I feel sorry for trash like you! Don't think I'll ever, ever, do anything like this for you again! Do you hear me?! We're even!"

"Good! I don't want to owe a crazy woman like you anything anyway!" Naruto yelled back. For good measure, he grabbed a handful of river mud and, without thinking, tossed it at the unsuspecting kunoichi.

Tayuya was stunned as something wet hit the back of her head. When she raised her hand to feel what it was now seeping through her hair, it was with disbelief she registered that it was, indeed, mud. "You shit!" Tayuya accused, pointing at the now laughing Naruto, "How dare you throw that at me, trash!" Saying this, she picked up a random stick and tossed it back at the laughing boy. She was pleased to note that his skull had a nice ring to it. When Naruto got back up, she was already running into the forest, laughing her ass of as he tried to keep up.

This was the sight that greeted Tenten and Lee as they finally made their way to the Forest Tower. Naruto, dead asleep and covered in nicks, bruises, cuts, and...was that mud? Head to toe, their teammate was covered with mud.

"You think he's alright, Lee?" Tenten asked as she looked him over for major injuries. His shoulder looked pretty bad but other than that it seemed to just be exhaustion. They had lost track of him back in the now-burnt southern part of the forest and Tenten had figured he would head to the Forest Tower...if he was able. As such, she and Lee had ran helter skelter to the tower to wait on him but it would seem Naruto had gotten there first.

Lee shrugged. "Yosh! I am certain the power of youth is what sustained our dear comrade during his ordeal!" It was amazing that he could keep his enthusiasm after all of this. Having ran the entire way to the tower without stopping, he had missed any chance of seeing his beloved Sakura! The things he did for his team!

Naruto stirred a little in his sleep but didn't wake up. It would take more than a conversation to get him up right now. As he turned over in his sleep, though, the Earth Scroll rolled out of his pouch. Tenten picked it up, amazed. By himself Naruto had managed to get the scroll? Lee looked just as shocked.

"Lee, pick him up so we can get him inside. We're really, really early so they'll probably have a place for us to rest in there," she said.

As Team Two went inside of the looming complex, Tayuya watched them from a nearby tree. Like Naruto, she was pretty rugged but the smile on her face contrasted with the way she looked. It wasn't her usual smirk but a soft smile that few rarely saw. She had been a little worried when the little bastard had keeled-over outside of the tower, she didn't think she had hit him _that _hard with the log, but instead of trying to rouse him Tayuya had left him to sleep there while watching over him for a bit. Teams had come and gone into the structure but her genjutsu had kept them away. That one team looked particularly angry as they had went inside and Tayuya was sure she had heard the girl mention Naruto more than once.

Oh well, it was about time to head back to camp and face Orochimaru and the rest of her team. She would have to invent some kind of story about getting into a fight with some Genin team to account for the way she looked but it wasn't any problem. She had had too much fun tonight to let any thoughts of the coming mission spoil it for her. There weren't many opportunities to act her age, after all.

As she started back to camp, Tayuya couldn't help to wonder if Naruto would make it out of this exam. Even if he did, there was always...well, no reason to think about _that_now. What happens happens and she had pleasant memories of this little outing to Konoha that no amount of death and destruction could take from her. At the very least, the coming "festivities" would be very interesting for her as long as Uzumaki Naruto was involved.

* * *

Well, that's it! I got this chapter out fairly quickly, didn't I? Nest up is, as I'm sure you can guess, the preliminary matches! Expect more fights, fun, and rivalries as Team Eight and Team Two come face-to-face! I wonder what's going to happen with those Oto-nins Tayuya warned Naruto about last chapter, though...who knows!? See you guys next time; same Black Sheep time, same Black Sheep station. 


	21. Fallen Leaves

This _could _be a _bit_ of a long chapter...yeah...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or overly-long dramatic combat scenes and plot twists, honest.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Fallen Leaves  
**

* * *

With a slight spring in his step, Kakashi walked down one of the many flights of stairs in the Forest Tower. Why was he so happy today, you ask? Well, the main reason was the new Icha Icha paradise book was out. That was always a good way to get Kakashi happy. Other reasons included he had just received word that not only his team had passed the second exam, but that his nephew's team had as well. Good cheer all around! They had both been knocked around a little, but no lost limbs! Great success. 

As Kakashi hopped up on the main podium where the ceremony would be conducted, he couldn't remain serious. It was too good of a day. Anko's condition, though, did make him wince. The Special Jounin had apparently been attacked by a rouge ninja in the forest of death during the exam...or that was the cover story everyone else would hear. The Jounin had all been briefed during an emergency meeting that Orochimaru was lurking around and that there might be a spy in the ranks. It wasn't too much of a problem, though. From time to time Orochimaru would raise his snaky head and there really wasn't anything anyone could do about it unless they wanted to destroy half the village chasing him out.

_'Hey, if he wants to watch the exams then fine,' _Kakashi told himself. Anko didn't look very bad off from having fought the Sannin so he must not be that big of a problem anymore. Kakashi was confident that if he absolutely had to, he could take down the man. Anko had laughed at that assessment and said that everyone was underestimating Orochimaru. The Jounin all remained skeptical, though, even with the Hokage stating that there could be more to Orochimaru's presence here than meets the eye. Especially when it was implied that the missing-nin ran Otogakure. It didn't matter to Kakashi, however. Maybe with something to occupy his time, like running a village, the Sannin would be less antagonistic to Konoha. Wishful thinking to be sure, but hey, it could happen.

Apparently, both the Hokage and Anko didn't hold to this belief as evident by the beefed-up security in the village. That had brought about something even more disturbing than Orochimaru in Kakashi's opinion. ANBU Root, formally disbanded and pending a complete personnel psych review, had been reinstated, if only for a few weeks. Danzo, the former leader of Root, had argued that Orochimaru's presence in the village called for Root to be brought back for security and the Hokage had agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Kakashi's problem with Root harkened back to his days in ANBU. The group brought results, for sure, but at the cost of their agents. Not since Kirigakure's Genin exam had promotion been so bloody. Root was full of killing machines fully devoted to Danzo and his antagonistic views of policy. Like his own private army, really.

Still, none of this was dampening the spirits of Team Seven's captain. "Anko, have you seen Naruto yet?" he asked while he started reading his newest perverted book. There wasn't much else to do while they waited for the preliminaries to start, after all. Not like he could open up a nice little conversation with a foreign Jounin. Well, he could, but that Oto Jounin was too creepy to talk to.

"No," Anko answered as she adjusted her microphone, "I went by his team's room this morning but Naruto and Lee were still asleep. I think he's been avoiding that Hyuuga girl, though. Tenten mentioned something about Naruto and her getting into it during the exam." Pretty badly if the way Kurenai had flinched when asked about it was any indication. Although she wouldn't comment on it directly, Kurenai admitted that Hinata had been complaining nonstop about Naruto's "cheap" tactics. When pressed, the Hyuuga wouldn't say anything about it other than she would get some kind of revenge. Kiba and Shino were of similar attitude and their teacher was actually a bit worried.

Despite the tense atmosphere, the Hokage managed to chuckle at how his grandson was growing up. His own adolescence had been filled with war and strife and he didn't have time to make little inner-village rivalries. It certainly made the exams more interesting, just like a soap opera...not that he watched those things. Nope, not at all.

The group was soon joined by Maito Gai and his overwhelming personality. "My rival!" he called out to Kakashi. The other Jounin tried to look very interested in his book to avoid being caught up in one of Gai's one-sided debates. Unfortunately, this time was no different from all the others and the Green Beast continued on. "My youthful students all passed the second exam! I hear yours did the same, Kakashi, but they won't make it through this!" When Kakashi ignored him, Gai almost started crying in admiration of his rival's coolness. Everyone else wondered why Gai didn't noticed that Kakashi was always paying attention even if he didn't show it.

The jovial attitude was broken up by a severe case of coughing coming from the floor and all eyes turned to Hayate who looked ready to hack up a lung. Kakashi wondered if the man's habitual coughing was natural or just an act. After all, Asuma went through several packs of smokes a day and he never coughed any. Still, the students were following him out into the hall, some well rested, others having just arrived.

As they walked out, Naruto made sure to stay a good distance away from Team Eight. Hinata hadn't said anything to him but she was definitely glaring a hole in his head. Kiba, on the other hand, was far more obvious and he made sure to growl at Naruto every time their eyes met. The rest of Team Gai noticed this and stood by him to ward off any unlikely attacks.

Over at Team Seven, Neji was having an uncharacteristically good day. Hinata hadn't even said two words to him or his team for being so late in getting to the tower. He had a million and one retorts ready for whatever the main house member could toss at him but they all proved unnecessary in light of Hinata's newest obsession: Uzumaki Naruto. That was a good thing because if it were any other day Neji would have caught hell from his cousin for "tainting the name" by coming in last. Happily, he didn't have to worry about such things. This Naruto was sent by Kami-sama himself!

Sakura shuddered as she watched a grin spread over Neji's face. It was so totally unnatural for the moody Hyuuga that it scared the living shit out of her the first time he'd done it. Even though Sasuke didn't show it, he was freaked out too. Still, Sakura had bigger fish to fry at the moment than psycho-Neji and she was standing not ten feet away.

Team Ten had come in a few hours before Sakura's own and as such Ino was able to clean up a bit before coming to this little assembly. She looked even more sure of herself than Sakura could ever remember. It was like she fed off of finally getting into the limelight. Sakura, however, was more nervous than she had ever been. This was it, though. Do or die time. All of her training has led up to this one moment to shine and Sakura would just have to do her best with whatever was coming.

The Hokage looked out over the newest generation of Konoha Genin with a measure of pride. Even after a harrowing exam they all looked like there were more important things on their minds. Revenge, love, admiration, elation, everything mirrored at once on their faces. Living, feeling, killing machines, that's what each of them would have to become over the next few years. Danzo thought he could erase emotion from shinobi? Not in this lifetime. The old man nodded to Anko as a que and the woman walked forward.

"Congratulations on passing the second exam!" she shouted. Unlike after the first exam, she didn't seem to angry that so many had passed. "Hokage-sama will now explain the exam so pay attention!"

Chuckling at Anko's bipolar personality, the old man took the center of the podium. Still, he had a nice little speech to give and it required him to be somber. So, in a way, that was an odd personality trait as well, he figured. "This is the third portion of the Chuunin selection exam. I also congratulate you on getting this far, but from here you must understand what this exam is truly about." The Hokage took a long drag from his pipe, reminding himself just what it meant to be ninja. "You are not only fighting for yourselves, you are fighting for your country and its image to the world. Other leaders from all the world's countries will be present, judging your performance as the performance of your village. If you do badly, it will reflect on the missions people send to us and, at the worst, lead to war since a village may appear weak."

"War? Just what the hell is this exam?!" Ino demanded. She could see Asuma telling her to be quiet with his eyes but no one had mentioned this to her. It was supposed to be just something to get a new rank from!

"This exam is a replacement for war, Yamanaka-san," the Hokage levelly responded. "Instead of slaughtering each other on the battlefield, we slaughter each other in an arena. Instead of armies, individuals. Instead of land or money, prestige and clients."

Shikamaru sighed at the description. "So that's why the Chuunin Exams aren't closed like the Jounin exams. You want us to be seen."

Instead of answering, the Hokage only faintly smiled. Life risking battles...some of the children looking at him right now might actually die before this exam was over. Perhaps that would be best, though. To die before you could be turned into shinobi. It was times like these that Sarutobi actually envied his former students' freedom to move wherever they pleased. He knew, though, they could never forget what they were no mater how many years they lived, ryo they gambled, or books they wrote. They could _never_forget.

"Hokage-sama...um..." For once, Hayate coughed to get someone's attention rather than almost falling over dead. "The exam, Hokage-sama, shall we start it?"

The old man blinked a few times to clear his head of memories. Seems he had gotten a bit too caught-up in the nostalgia of it all. "Yes, yes. Explain it to them if you would, Hayate." Sarutobi noticed the concerned look Anko sent him and smiled back reassuringly. She would have made a good daughter given how much she worries about him.

With minimal coughing, Hayate managed to get everyone's attention. Several of the Genin sent him worried looks as if he were going to collapse any minute. He was a Jounin for goodness sake! A little coughing wasn't going to get him down. "Ah, yes, I am Gekko Hayate, the referee of this preliminary match."

"Preliminary? You mean this isn't the third exam?" Temari asked. Gaara shot her an annoyed look for being too loud and she seemed to calm down a bit.

Hayate looked over at the blonde and tried not to cough as he began an explanation. "Um...there's too many of you," he glanced over at Anko and Ibiki as he said this, "so the rules in place for this state that a preliminary match must take place prior to the main event. Is there anyone who wants to quit now after hearing this explanation? If not, we'll begin now."

Kabuto chuckled to himself as he started to raise his hand. There were other things to take care of right now other than playing with these Genin. However, he paused when he caught Orochimaru's gaze. The Sannin, "disguised" as an odd-looking Oto Jounin, was smiling slightly. When he saw Kabuto looking at him, he shook his head in amusement and the spy reluctantly lowered his hand. When he thought about it, though, there really wasn't any reason not to fight. Pretty soon it wouldn't matter if it came out he was a spy, no one who would have cared would be left alive.

Frowning slightly at not having an easy way to cut down on the teams, Hayate gave a little cough behind his clipboard. "Okay then, the one-on-one matches will be selected at random by the computer behind me," the Jounin motioned to the large screen looming over the stage. "Now, lets select the first two combatants!"

All eyes turned towards the screen hanging over the arena, the Genin watching with rapt attention. Letters sped across the screen by the thousands until...they stopped? The Hokage looked over at Hayate who was just as confused. Orochimaru, however, almost didn't stifle the chuckle he had in his throat. _'Those kids are playing around again...'_

Barrier jutsu was one of the little-known specialties of Otogakure. Of course, when you're a village that was for years solely devoted to protecting an S-Class missing-nin with eight other S-Class missing-nins after him then it's understandable. As an elite bodyguard unit that was responsible for guarding the Sannin himself, an even wider variety of barriers and seals were studied. It was one of these barriers that was being used to conceal the four figures hiding up in the rafters of the arena, oblivious to everyone outside of the barrier. Not even the Hokage himself would see them if he wasn't expecting them to be there. It was a good thing the barrier was also sound-proof or else this particular group would have been discovered in the first few minutes of setting it up...

"Come on, just give me the damn thing!" Sakon whined as he tried to grab a small control box from his kunoichi teammate. Kidomaru and Jirobo had long-sense given up trying to stop Tayuya from getting her way and merely watched Sakon struggle for their own amusement. They were evil like that.

The stoic redhead swatted away her teammate's hand as she pressed random buttons on the control override Kabuto, the nerd that he is, had made for them. It was a neat little thing, Tayuya had to admit. The bespecled spy had whipped it up at Orochimaru's insisting to manually control the security systems in the Forest Tower. Happily, Tayuya had figured out it could also be used to screw around with other electronic systems if they were close enough thus the current argument between Sakon and herself.

The blue-haired ninja muttered a few more choice words before sitting down on the rafter with the rest of the team. Tayuya was just being too difficult for him. "I just wanted to match that annoying Naruto kid with Gaara. It would have been fun to watch him go splat!" he whined.

"We have a mission with this thing, you know," Tayuya reminded the team. "'Keep Sasuke alive and intact until the end of the preliminaries' was what Orochimaru-sama ordered. Did you idiots forget that?" Of course, she was going to mess around with it but she would do so responsibly. Well, at least responsibly enough to avoid Orochimaru's wrath. "With this, we can make protecting the Uchiha someone else's problem," the kunoichi told them as she punched in some keys on the small device...

Back on the floor the screen finally flashed back to life just as the Hokage was about to send a tech crew to go check on it. Smiling to himself, he moved back on his platform along with Ibiki and Anko to watch the fights while the rest of the Jounin had retreated back up to the stairs. He could tell that the Special Jounin would rather be up with her student, though.

"And the first match is..." Hayate called out to get everyone's attention, "...**Uchiha Sasuke vs. Yakushi Kabuto!"**

Sasuke leapt down from the overlooking stairs onto the ring below, ready to fight. His team had fought a pathetic Konoha team after being ambushed by that...thing in the forest and the fight was nothing to test himself by.

Choosing to walk down the stairs instead of making a spectacle of himself, Kabuto sighed. He had wanted to cut-loose since Orochimaru had given him permission but up against Sasuke...well, he couldn't do much of anything. This was Orochimaru's future body, after all. Don't want to scratch the paint or anything before it was even off the lot. Still, he could give the little kid a scare or two and nothing bad would happen.

The two sized each other up as Hayate went over some ground rules. Kabuto was relaxed, bored even, but Sasuke was tense. Up in the stands Kakashi was looking at he bespecled Genin with a calculating eye. Something was off about him. Going up against an Uchiha should make anyone nervous but this teen was in complete control of his emotions. It might because he thought that since the age advantage was in his favor Sasuke wasn't a threat but...well, in any event it would be a good match.

"Come on, Sasuke-kun!" Ino shouted from the side. Nearly everyone rolled their eyes except for Sakura who was trying to out-cheer Ino. Her heart didn't seem in it, though.

"Looks like you have quite a fan club," Kabuto said, disarming as ever. "I hope you give them a good show."

Sasuke didn't rise to the subtle taunt and instead launched himself immediately at the other Genin the second Hayate signaled a start to the match. Instead of scoring the easy hit he was expecting, Sasuke instead found his leg caught in the vice-like grip of Kabuto.

Twisting his arm around, Kabuto brought Sasuke crashing to the ground. He could feel the muscles of the Uchiha's leg spasming in protest to the unnatural bending but he ignored it in favor of roughly kicking the boy in the stomach. There were several gasps from the other Genin at the savage treatment...or maybe it was surprise that Sasuke didn't immediately win? Either way there were many shocked people watching.

Kicking back off the floor as he tumbled, Sasuke managed to right himself just as his opponent caught up to him. Kabuto fought with a meticulous intensity that surprised the Uchiha. It was like every regular blow was just a way to create an opening for a single, surgical-like attack. Without much of a choice, Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

With the rest of his team, Naruto watched the fight swing back and forth between his cousin and Kabuto. The blond had to admit he had underestimated the odd Genin who had stated that he failed this exam six times. Even with the Sharingan on his side Sasuke would have trouble putting away this fight. At least now the other boy could avoid those hard hits Kabuto just seemed to sneak in.

"This is a youthful fight!" Lee exclaimed. "Kabuto-kun is very talented!"

Tenten was impressed as well with the way Kabuto was handling himself. If anything, it showed her that even an Uchiha could be put on the defensive against such skill. As much as Tenten used to dislike thinking about it, it was good for both her and Lee in the event they went up against Naruto or Sasuke during this thing. Thoughts like this had come up ever since Naruto's Sharingan had developed into such a potent tool. He could even muddle his way through a jutsu-barred sparring session with Lee without getting completely embarrassed these days.

Gai noticed the solemn mood of his student and wondered what Tenten was thinking about. She had been somewhat different since Naruto had gotten kidnapped but he didn't feel it was bad enough to bring up. Tenten had been so serious in her training before the exam; though, not training in front of the others and not getting help from him. Naruto was doing the same thing but he would still give his best at the joint training sessions when Tenten was clearly holding back. It was a bit worrisome but maybe she would work it out by herself?

Not that he was ignoring his students, it's just that Gai had no idea how to relate to either Naruto or Tenten. They were so much easier to deal with when they were still fresh out of the academy. Now they were nearly Chuunin! Time just flew by for Team Two and Gai didn't like it one bit. He would have to watch Tenten just a little bit more and look for a chance to talk to her about whatever it was going on.

A loud crash from the area brought Gai's attention back to the arena. As he thought, the surprising performance from the young Kabuto had been short-lived. The Uchiha had just struck the other Genin with such force his glasses cracked. As Kabuto stumbled backwards, Sasuke ducked low and swept Kabuto's feet out from under him and had a kunai to his throat before the latter could even shake off the effects of having several sharp pieces of glass stuck in his face.

"O-okay, I give up, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto stammered.

Hayate looked things over, and finding them satisfactory, made a few marks on his clipboard before announcing the end of the match. "Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!" Predictably, his fan base cheered for the victory while he helped Kabuto back to his feet.

"That was a good match," Sasuke said to the older boy once he was back on his feet. It was a rare thing to get a compliment by **the** Uchiha Sasuke.

Kabuto smiled in a modest way before wincing. Apparently it wasn't a good thing to move one's face while there was glass sticking out of it. "I got a little too exited, I think," he said as he pulled off the broken frame of his glasses. "These were my favorite pair, too." When the medic team came over, Kabuto surprisingly waved them off and headed back up the stairs to stand with his team.

As his spy passed, Orochimaru quietly mused, "I counted sixteen times where you could have killed him, Kabuto. Such fine self-restraint and acting. I'm impressed."

"You overestimate me, I only counted twelve," Kabuto replied as he passed, a vicious smile spreading over his face. A pathetic match like that didn't even get the blood pumping.

On the floor, the randomizer was still having glitches in the system. Hayate just groaned at the jumbo screen once again missed its queue to begin. He could see the tech guys messing with the little button that randomized the names to little avail. Stupid thing, technology was nothing but a hassle. Just like that stupid humidifier that his doctor had told him to get years ago. Waste of money, his dad had told him and look at him now! Perfect health!

"Who do you guys want to do next?" Tayuya asked as they all shared a snicker at Kabuto getting his glasses broke. That guy was way too anal about his glasses so it served him right.

Oddly, Jirobo was the one to speak up first. "Kin against someone," he said in his usual polite voice. There was an odd tone to it, though, which caused everyone to stare at him. Even more strangely he blushed and poked his fingers together shyly. "...she wouldn't go out with me..." he admitted. They all had a nice laugh at that. Well, except for Jirobo, of course. He pouted.

Tayuya scanned the group down there for a suitable opponent for the little trollop. Truth be told, the kunoichi didn't like Kin much either ever since she had made a crack about how red hair _had_to come from a bottle in this part of the world. Bad idea. Seeing a lazy-looking bastard, Nara Shikamaru if her memory from the info Kabuto had them memorize served her right, that was acting completely oblivious to the matches struck her with an idea. "Okay, we'll kill two birds with one stone. A piece of trash down there looks like he could use some exorcise."

Shikamaru groaned loudly as his name popped up on the wacky computer. Stupid randomized results. Not only did he have to fight, he had to fight a girl. "Troublesome," he said aloud.

Ino frowned at her teammate's lack of enthusiasm and she began pushing him down the runway towards the stairs. "Come on, you got lucky! It's a girl who doesn't look all that good! You could have caught me and then you're fun would have been over."

"How's that a bad thing?" the Genin moaned as he was rushed towards the ring. His opponent had settled on jumping down to the stage so she was waiting on him with some strange smile on her face. Those Oto-nin were just weird. "If someone would beat me I could go home."

The young Yamanaka stuck out her tongue at Shikamaru as she started back to the stairs. "Yeah, but think of what your mom would have put you through if you didn't even make it to the finals," she reminded. Troublesome women just flocked around poor Shikamaru.

Hayate made sure both combatants were in position before giving the signal to start. **"Nara Shikamaru vs. Tsuchi Kin. Begin!"**

Predictably, for Shikamaru at least, the kunoichi instantly attacked in the form of needles. They had bells attached to them, an old trick, but they also had nearly-invisible wires attached that would trick him. Sound in theory and it would probably be enough against someone else but it was a bit weak to bring to a Chuunin exam. It was easy as sending his shadow under the wire while he took a hit from one of the needles. Not too complicated, actually.

Kin, however, was surprised at the turn of events. "But, but I was watching the shadow!" she cried in frustration. Shikamaru had to raise an eyebrow at that one, how did she know about his shadow bind? Whatever, it would take too much effort to find out.

"Strings that narrow won't leave a shadow, moron," he sighed, unhappy at having to explain something so simple. Reaching down to his weapon pouch, he pulled a shuriken with Kin mimicking him. One throw to keep her distracted so she didn't struggle with the shadow bind and her head rammed into the wall with a disturbing cracking noise.

Hayate's cough was pretty much the only thing in way of fanfare ending the match. Looking at how the poor Oto kunoichi was twitching, it was safe to say she wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. "Winner, Nara Shikamaru!" he called simply to let everyone else know they should be paying attention again. Other than a pat on the back from Ino and Choji, there really wasn't anything greeting the hapless Nara when he rejoined his team.

Back up on the rafters, the reaction was pretty much the same. Jirobo was stunned into silence at how easily Kin had been taken out, robbing him of seeing some good blood sport. Tayuya put the thoughts of everyone else to words with a short, simple, "That was shit."

Sakon rolled his eyes as he once again started fighting for the control box. "That was a pathetic match! You can't pick anything! Give me that damn thing!"

Sighing, Tayuya handed it over like she couldn't care less. That _was_a sad match so she couldn't really argue with his logic. "Just pick something fun, fag." Sakon was planning on doing just that until the small box was taken from his hands by Kidomaru.

"What the hell, man?!" Sakon whined at once again getting foiled in his match-setting quest.

The multi-armed ninja ignored his teammate and started to type in names for the machine to display. "I want to see that pink-haired girl get mauled," he said out of the blue. When everyone looked at him with varying degrees of confusion, he shrugged. "What can I say? I hate the color pink." Well, lucky for him the rest of them disliked that color too so they didn't hassle him about it. Stupid pink being all pinkish.

Hayate's eyebrows sank as he watched the randomizer start randomizing before he even asked the technicians to select a new match. For Kami's sake, that Kin girl hadn't even been scrapped off the wall yet! "Um...I guess the third match is starting now..." he mumbled as the names came to a stop. Oh, well this would be quick.

Ino laughed at her teammate as he returned, complaining about how boring his match was. "I thought you wanted to go home?" she asked.

"Well, I was already down there, you know," Shikamaru said in way of a reply. He knew just as well as everyone else that he would have still been complaining but it was the thought that counted. "This match should be decent enough," he commented, trying to divert Ino's attention away from his laziness.

The young kunoichi took the bait and checked the screen. "Hey forehead girl, you're up," she called out to Team Seven which was further down the balcony.

Sakura was surprised to hear Ino calling out to her as she was busy attempting to hold a conversation with her team. Given the disposition of the two troubled children, though, it wasn't going too well. The randomizer had chosen a good time to cut-in, not like she was getting anywhere. After getting a few "good lucks" from the other Konoha teams, she passed Team Ten and tried to smirk at her rival. "Looks like I'm up first," she said to Ino. There was still that odd tension between them but at least they had both gotten used to it to the point where they could attempt to talk normally.

Ino nervously chuckled as a means to cover up the time it took her to come up with _something _to say. It was just so weird between them now. "Uh, just try not to lose too badly." Yeah, it was lame but it was all she could come up with. Sakura uncomfortably laughed and mumbled some remark about not losing at all before she walked past the group. Everyone noticed the overall weirdness of the exchange but Ino's sour mood stalled any questions they might have had.

Down on the floor, Hayate was finally announcing the match. "Ahem, and now for the third match of the Chuunin preliminaries. **Haruno Sakura vs. ****Abumi Zaku!** Contestants please come down to the floor."

Up on the other balcony, Orochimaru chuckled at how eager Zaku was to prove himself. It was nonsense, of course, as he was just fodder but such work ethic was nice. Ever eager to showoff in front of Orochimaru, the boy had already shunshin'd down to the stage. Zaku wasn't too excited, though. His opponent was some whiny girl who probably didn't know the first thing about fighting.

"Damn it, can't you give me someone better?" he asked Hayate. "I won't even break a sweat with this girl."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the little brat standing across from her. Won't even break a sweat? Oh yeah, heads were going to roll. Subtly, she traced a finger of the single scroll hanging off her belt. This would be a good test, actually. "What's wrong? You don't want to get beat by me in front of your team?" she taunted, trying to provoke a reaction.

The plan worked as Zaku wheeled around with a fierce look in his eye. "What was that?! You wish you had a chance against me!"

Watching these two rile each other up was particularily annoying to the ever-ill examiner. It was times like this Hayate felt more like a boxing referee than a teacher. When Zaku started squabbeling, though, that was enough. "And begin!"

The sudden start caught both Genin by surprise. Sakura responded by leaping back from her opponent while Zaku started charging a jutsu. Before Sakura could react, a blast of air sent her flying into the wall with a harsh thud. The blast itself was powerful enough by itself but the collateral damage it could cause by sending someone into a wall was another level for Sakura entirely. As she slid down the stone, she wondered just how the other Genin could have used a futon jutsu so quickly.

Zaku smirked and lowered his hands when Sakura didn't immediately rise. "See? Pathetic," he said as he turned to the examiner. "Call the match, it's over." However, Hayate frowned at how egotistical this kid was for turning his back on a downed opponent. Oh well, he would get it beat into his head soon enough.

Zaku's eyes went wide as he felt the air behind him be disturbed and he dropped to the ground just quick enough that Sakura's kick went sailing over his head.

Sakura cursed as her surprise attack failed to produce results. Apparently this guy was good with either his sense of smell or air pressure as there was no way she could have made any noise. Regardless, Sakura jumped over Zaku's attempt at sweeping her and brought down an axe handle on the boy as she landed. This too was avoided as Zaku rolled out of the way and brought his palms to bare again. At least now he was taking her seriously. However, Sakura was ready for the blast. When Zaku called out his attack, she ran through a few hand seals and dissapeared in a cloud of smoke leaving behind an odd hat. On the podium, the Hokage sighed at the treatment his poor cap was getting but didn't grudge the girl for using it. Anything for a win, he supposed, and the hat was made of sturdy stuff so it should be alright...if not, he knew who to send the bill to.

Zaku became enraged at having been thwarted by such a novice jutsu and started firing at the girl as she ran around the room. Chunks of the walls were blasted away and many of the spectators up on the balcony were having to shield themselves from bits of stone.

"This guy is crazy!" Naruto shouted over the roar of the wind. "Can't someone stop the match?!"

Ino, however, was doing her best to keep watching the floor through squinted eyes. The destruction was getting pretty bad and Sakura couldn't keep dodging forever. "Sakura!" she called out, "Stop this guy already!"

To her surprise, the pink-haired kunoichi abruptly reversed direction and ran up the side of the room to dodge one of the blasts. As Sakura hit the balcony, she landed on the railing and managed to give her rival a smirk before leaping into the air as the next blast blew the railing away. Ino gasped not only at being blown backwards by the air but also at Sakura's decision to jump for it. She couldn't dodge in the air!

"Dumb move!" Zaku shouted as he trained his hands on his opponent. **"Full Power Zankuha!"** The blast itself was like a cannon going off and Hayate was ready to jump in and stop the match as the visible wave of pressure headed towards Sakura. He caught himself, though, when a brief flash of smoke appeared around Sakura right as the wave hit.

Up in the rafters, the Sound Four were hanging on for dear life to the anchored pipes they had been sitting on. "Damn that fucking shit head!" Tayuya cursed as she struggled to hold onto both the remote and her perch, "I'll skin him myself if someone else doesn't!" She also wished she had an extra set of arms like Kidomaru and Sakon. Freaking lucky mutants. The poor girl started cursing again as large chunks of ceiling started to come down around her.

Back on the ground, Zaku was breathing a little harder after such a titanic blast but, he was smug. There was no way in hell Sakura could have dodged that one and he was just scanning the room to find a pink stain under some piece of rock. The Konoha-nin were glaring at him something fierce but so what? Not like he cared if this place was trashed. "Hey ref, help me find her corpse," he laughed.

"What a pathetic attack," Temari sighed as she brushed bits of rubble out of her hair. "He didn't even bring down the roof," she sighed. Well, not everyone could be such a bitching wind user so she could let it slip.

Kankuro was less than happy as he rubbed a lump on his head. "Doesn't matter, it was complete overkill for someone of that girl's level. Look at my head! I have to repaint my face thanks to all this dust!"

Safely inside his little shroud of sand, Gaara cast his eyes among the rubble littering the ring. "Kankuro, be quiet," he lazily ordered. "You're making yourself look even more pathetic than usual. Look down at the ring before you start calling the match."

Unbelievingly, Kankuro followed his brother's eyes and scoffed in disbelief. "How the hell does that little girl keep upright with that thing?" he wondered. Of course, Temari carried around a slab of metal too, but still. Crazy women and giant weapons. Talk about penis envy...

Zaku was still arguing with Hayate to call the match when the examiner finally got tired of the boy's annoying mouth and leapt back away from him. Initially confused, the Oto-nin soon found out the reason as he was forced to dodge yet another sneak attack. It wasn't the same, though, as looking back at the enormous sword now cleaved into the solid stone he had just been standing on sent a cold chill down the boy's spine.

With a grunt of effort, Sakura freed the Kubikiri Houcho from the floor and heaved it onto her shoulder. It was taking a lot of effort simply to stand upright but the image should be enough to rattle Zaku's cage. "What's wrong? Don't want to continue?" she asked when the boy studied her in disbelief from across the room. Her baggy pants were torn and dirty and her fishnet shirt was ripped in a few placed but other than that she looked no worse for the ware.

Ino had to grin at the show her rival was putting on and at the faces her fellow Genin were making. Even Naruto looked shocked beyond words while Asuma looked like he had just laid an egg. "What the hell did Kakashi do to her?" Ino heard him mumble to Kurenai.

"That's his sword," Sasuke commented to Neji and Kakashi in confusion. "I thought Sakura buried it with Zabuza and Haku. She kept it all this time?"

That caught Ino's attention. "Haku? What do you mean bury?" she asked. Haku was alive and well...somewhere. "Did he die in the exams?!" she demanded, walking right over to Team Seven.

Kakashi scratched his head and wondered just how to get out of this one. This was going to be tricky and require an unshakable amount of coolness, tact, and trickery...

"Are you an idiot? Haku died in Wave Country with Zabuza, the missing-nin who Sakura got that sword from," Neji bluntly stated. At Ino's confused expression, he sighed and began retelling the mission in detail.

...or someone could come right out and say it. That would work too, Kakashi mused. Although he was glad it was Neji that did it so he could avoid the wrath of Sakura when she found out. Of course, judging by the ever-increasing killing intent coming off of Ino, the Jounin wondered if Sakura would be in any shape to take vengeance.

Zaku shifted slightly on his feet. This was...well, it wasn't bad, he wouldn't admit that it was bad, but the situation had just gotten_interesting_. He should have guessed that this kunoichi would have some kind of trump card she wasn't showing based on how rudamentery her jutsu was. "I bet you can't hold that thing up much longer," he stated, streaching out his hands. "Doesn't matter, I'll just blow it away! Zankuha!"

Sakura quickly wedged the blade into the cracked stone of the ring and stood behind it as the blast overtook her position. Just like before, the sword absorbed and diverted the wind, acting as a nice shield with little physical effort on her behalf. This was one of the styles she had come up with while recovering from her fight with Ino; large-scale shielding with the Kubikiri Houcho. As the debris flew by, Sakura picked a small rock out of the air and formulated a plan.

Eventually, Zaku's chakra started to wane and he was forced to cut the pressure. The second he did, Sakura ran from behind the zanbato

as fast as her legs could carry her. Already Zaku was leaping into the air to recover but Sakura followed him up. When she completly lifted off the ground, the Oto Genin smirked and aimed his palms at her, relishing the success of his little feint. However, that happiness soon turned back into frustration as he watched his opponent turn into that damned sword as the wind hit her. This girl was annoyingly good at Kawarimi no Jutsu.

"Damn you, stay still!" Zaku shouted as he watched the zanbato fly wildly in the violent winds he produced. It ended up nearly skewering Choji up on the balcony and even cut through his trademark bag of chips. "Come out and fight you bi-" Zaku's rant was rudely interrupted when a small chunk of ceiling careened into his head, stopping his attack along with making his brain ring inside his skull. Zaku was so rattled by the sudden attack that he couldn't control his landing and ended up falling into a pile of rubble.

Sakura hopped over the large piece of stone she had been using for cover and made her way over to the battered Genin. Nearly out of chakra, Zaku forced himself to his feet and took a taijutsu stance although it was obvious he was still off-balance. "How did you hit me?!" he demanded. His anger only increased when the girl smiled condecindingly at him.

"You haven't figured it out?" Sakura asked as she cracked her knuckles. "I knew you were good at sensing a difference of air pressure before an attack so I just waited until you made the air so unstable that a small thing like a rock couldn't be noticed over the currents you were creating. You're lucky I didn't use a kunai."

With a feral yell, Zaku launched himself at the cause of his embarassment. To his growing horror, his fists only met air as Sakura dodged like he was nothing but an annoyance. Frustrated beyond belief, he lashed out with his feet, trying anything to throw the other Genin off her game. Instead of dodging the foot, Sakura caught the leg with a grunt and wrapped her arm around it. Using the last bit of her strength, Sakura heaved Zaku up into the air and slammed him into the nearest solid surface. All those days spent swinging around her zanbato weren't so useless after all.

Hayate winced as Zaku hit the wall with a sickening thud. That little girl had a good bit of power in her if she could slam someone her own size into a wall by his leg. When Zaku didn't get up after a few moments, the Jounin knew the match was over. "Winner, Haruno Sakura!"

Stunned, Sakura could only blink in amazement. She had won? Her breathing hitched as she heard a few claps coming from the podium. Some of the minor Chuunin that were already clearing the ring were obviously impressed and even the Hokage was smiling! Too bad about his hat, though.

With a definite spring in her step, Sakura thanked the ref and started back up to her team. As she passed Team Ten, Asuma grinned and handed back her zanbato while Choji was still shaking over in the corner. Ino, though, wasn't with her team and Sakura spotted her over by Sasuke and Neji.

Kakashi chuckled at his student's match. This was the first time he had seen just what Sakura had come up with while she was in the hospital. A style that used the sword more as a tool than a weapon, pretty clever. However, when he glanced at Ino the Jounin had to wonder just how much of a dampener she would put on Sakura's victory. His worry came for nothing, surprisingly, as Ino rushed up to Sakura and wrapped her in a tight embrace that seemed to shock the pink-haired girl almost as much as everyone else.

"Good job, forehead girl!" Ino...squeeled? Oh yeah, something was wrong, Sakura told herself. Still, she had to admit it was nice to be held like this...maybe a bit _too _nice. Startled at the thought, Sakura wiggled her way out of the glomp.

"Th-thanks Ino," Sakura managed to reply despite her embarassment. "It wasn't that hard..."

Ino smiled back with as much sincerity as she could currently muster. That's it, lull Sakura into a false sense of security and then spring it on her! 'Twas a brilliant plan and Ino congradulated herself on thinking it up on such short notice. So, Sakura thought she could get some kicks from messing around with her feelings like she had been the last few days, huh? Forehead girl was going to find out just how far a Yamanaka would go in getting even. _'Get all cozy with me, will she?' _Ino thought to herself. _'I bet she really thought a lot of herself after she tricked me like that! Probably had a good laugh about it.' _Well, if Sakura wanted to see how far she could take it then fine, turning the tables it is. Just as soon as Sakura tried to pull that henge trick again the war would commence.

Back up on the rafters, the Sound Four were just finishing up strenghtening their seal. That last little wind jolt had taken out one of the anchors. Nothing too serious, but it would require a bit of work to fix so that the entire jutsu didn't collapse. Conversation, though, obviously wasn't too distracting from the process.

"I can't believe that little girl won," Kidomaru mumbled. He had really wanted to see her get aquished. "Damn Zaku couldn't even kill a Genin. No wonder he was picked for the exam, he wouldn't have to hold back any."

Tayuya had to agree, but that Sakura girl had put on a bit of a show herself. Of course, Kidomaru probably had something nasty already planed out to finish the girl off so it wasn't a big deal. She might have to remind him and keep him focused, though. As an afterthought, the redhead glanced down at Orochimaru, expecting to see him somewhat upset. Instead, what Tayuya saw surprised her enough that she didn't notice Sakon sneak the remote out from under a rock and start typing.

"Kabuto, make a note of that girl," the Sannin stated with a small smirk. A kunoichi with talent, what a rare thing. Orochimaru would have to see if she would make a decent candidate for something more useful in the near future. After all, his own forces were sure to be depleated in a few days.

The undercover Oto-nin shrugged and took out Sakura's nin-card. A few pokes of chakra and it was overridden, the perfect reminder when they started to weed people out. Kabuto could tell why Orochimaru would be interested in the girl but he didn't think she was note-worthy. Zaku was only an idiot, after all. Still, slap a seal on the girl and she might be worth something should she survive. Speaking of the battles, those matches were getting pretty weird. It was almost as if someone were rigging them...nah.

Back up on the balcony overlooking the ring, Asuma lit up a cigarette. Well, that wasn't too bad of a fight. Like Kurenai and the majority of Konoha Chuunin, he wondered just what Kakashi had done for Sakura to get her up to that level. The former ANBU Captain used to be well-known for his strict training regiments and flawless mission record but those days were long past, or so he had thought. Well, maybe it was exaggerated considering how much Sakura had improved in just one short year.

The electronic beeping of the randomizer caught the Jounin's attention and he let out a large cloud of smoke. "Ino, heads up," he called out. The young girl stopped talking to Sakura to look up and she grinned. That wasn't good for whoever was fighting her. Asuma noticed something brewing underneath the manic personality his student usually sported and it made him shiver. A plotting Yamanaka was never a good thing.

"Finally!" Ino happily sighed as she bounded down to the ring. Normally she wouldn't want to fight in such a limited fashion, but this was a very special case. Something she'd been looking forward to since the academy. "I'm going to show you how to fight, Forehead-Girl," she called out, much to the chagrin of her opponent who had joined her at the ring.

Kiba literally growled at the kunoichi as she jovially waved back to her friends. "You think you're hot shit now, huh?" he asked. The Inuzuka was beyond pissed at not getting to fight Naruto. Still, Naruto had helped Ino at the academy so it would kinda be the same thing. "I don't even need Akamaru for this, you're just a woman after all." Behind him, he could literally feel Hinata glaring at him. Shit. Didn't she threaten to "snip snip" the next time he said something sexist? Kiba had to force himself not to whimper at the very thought. Maybe if he took out Ino quick enough Hinata would forget about it...worth a shot.

"**Inuzuka Kiba vs. Yamanaka Ino...begin!" **Hayate called out as he let the match get underway.

Kiba instantly rushed towards Ino, hoping to end the fight with one punch. It was just Ino no matter how smug she looked. It was a shock, then, when Ino's hair grabbed his fist just as it approached her face. With a deft twist of her head, Kiba was flipped over onto his back several feet away and left to wonder just what the hell had happened to him. When he jumped back to his feet, he saw just exactly he had run into.

"Is Ino's hair..._alive?_" Sakura asked aloud. It sure looked that way. Even though they had gotten into it a few days ago, as the constantly-itchy scar on her throat reminded her, Ino hadn't used her hair this much. This was just..._wow_. The kunoichi's ponytail was whipping around her head like a snake, snapping this way and that.

Naruto, who was standing near Team Seven with Lee and Tenten, blinked at Ino's improvement. Last time they had sparred the Yamanaka couldn't control her hair to this degree. "She's threading her chakra through her hair itself," he replied to Sakura. "I didn't think she had that kind of control." Although Sakura didn't like being informed of something by her least-favorite person, she was too enthralled with Ino to listen. That is to say, enthralled by Ino's_match_. Yes, the **match**.

"Well, biscuit? Is that all you got?" Ino asked, standing quite loosely with her arms folded. It was an easy way to goad someone into attacking and getting into her range. Knowing Kiba, he couldn't be able to resist it. As par for course, the Genin snarled and charged yet again.

Ino's hand deflected the first punch as her hair lanced out and cut a thin line on Kiba's cheek. When he grabbed a fist-full of the golden locks, the kunoichi's knee came up and nearly neutered him in the most unpleasant of ways. Again he was forced to withdraw from close combat and he somersaulted backwards a few meters. It was like fighting someone with an extra set of limbs armed with swords.

Finally, Kiba decided to play things a bit smarter than usual. "Akamaru! Let's get her!" he called out. The small dog rushed over from the sidelines and yapped happily at getting to have a little fun. "You ready? Let's go! _**Shikyaku no Jutsu!"**_

'_That's Naruto's jutsu!' _Ino thought, shocked. The speed that Kiba came at her was enough to allow him to slip through her defenses and land a solid hit in her gut, sending her skidding backwards. It took everything to just stay on her feet. From the side, Akamaru came in and nearly latched onto Ino's arm but the kunoichi's hair snaked out and wrapped around the canine's waist, flinging him across the ring. When Kiba rushed to catch him, Ino caught her breath. That attack had been at a level above what Naruto could manage with the same jutsu, it would seem.

Rushing to the side, Ino tried to flank Kiba while he was looking over Akamaru. Only after she was committed to the attack did she see the small dog swallow a little red pill. When Akamaru's fur turned bright red, she could feel the chakra rolling off of the dog. When the animal launched himself at Ino mid-swing, he finally hit paydirt and latched onto Ino's arm. The girl recoiled at the pain and punched the dog in the skull. It made Akamaru let go, but split her attention away from Kiba who landed another violent hit, this time sending Ino rolling along the ground like a rag doll.

"Yahoo! That all you got, girly?" Kiba cawed, looking mighty pleased with himself. "Time to finish this, come on Akamaru! **Juujin Bunshin no Jutsu!" **The little dog leapt up onto Kiba's back and both transformed into identical, but feral, Genin.

Ino's eyes narrowed as she took a good look at her new opponents. With that soldier pill, Akamaru probably had as much chakra as Kiba for a few hours so instead of one pissed Kiba she now had to fight two. Perfect. "I didn't want to show everything I had here, but you're making me do it, dog breath!" the girl snarled. Lowering her arms, she made a strange seal with her hands and her hair erupted from it's neat ponytail into a wild visage of tangled threads. "_**Heapou: Heki Sukin!"**_

More than a few eyebrows were raised when Ino's hair snapped into place on her arms and neck like golden armor. The long strands were more than enough to cover her face, neck, torso, and arms in a sheet of living armor. Kiba, although wary, charged in together with Akamaru, his claws extended. When he connected, he let out a loud cheer that soon turned into a cry of pain. His nails had not penetrated the sheet of hair on Ino's shoulder and now a strand of hair was skewering his hand through the palm while more was slowly creeping up his arm.

"What the hell is this?!" he shouted as he tried to rip his arm away. Despite the pain he must have been feeling, Kiba was still determined to escape even if his skin was starting to stretch and be cut. He tried to hit Ino with his free fist but this too was caught in the maw of hair covering the girl's face.

Ino laughed under her golden mane. "Idiot, I can run chakra through my hair," she stated as if she were talking to a child. "Of course you're going to get caught by it. Give up or be smothered!"

Akamaru took a look at his master's predicament and rushed to help. He tackled Kiba hard and managed to rip the poor boy away from Ino's trap but not without serious damage being done to Kiba's arm which was half-way snared. It was hanging limply at his side and his palm was tore to shreds. However, Kiba's fighting spirit didn't seem to diminish in the least as his face was a visage of pure fury.

"That's it, bitch!" Kiba snarled. "Come on, Akamaru! We're getting serious! **Gatsuuga!"** Despite his injuries, the Inuzuka managed to launch himself into the air along with Akamaru. The twin cyclones snaked around the ring at a break-neck pace and Ino found herself caught between the swirling maws of death. She just managed to roll to the side as the ground where she was formally standing became rubble.

There was just no way to fight them both at the same time, especially since they stayed far out of range of her hair. The obvious answer to her problem is to cut the numbers. To that end, Ino made a mad dash towards the wall of the stage and started running vertical. As expected, Kiba and Akamaru had to either come in from the side or ahead since the balcony was above and the floor below. When they started towards her, Ino started pumping large amounts of her remaining chakra into her hair and raised her open palms to take the impact. "_**Heapou: Genzon**__**Tate!" **_Her hair retreated back from her waist and arms to form a half-shell between her outstretched hands. Perfectly symmetrical, it left no edges for Kiba's claws to catch on. When the two hit the shell, they both slid along the shield and ran into one another before they could stop themselves.

Kiba rolled along the ground with various grunts and yelps while Akamaru hit the ground hard below Ino. The puppy was still breathing but between his own Gatsuuga and Kiba's, his body was cut up like a butcher's chopping block. Out of chakra, Ino dropped from the wall onto shaky feet. Her hair was now limply hanging down her back but at least that mutt was out of the way and Kiba didn't look in too good of shape. The Genzon Tate was only as strong as how much chakra was pumped into it, after all. Making a shield of that size and strength was taxing enough; if Kiba managed to get back to his feet there wouldn't be much left she could do in way of jutsu so there was only one thing to do.

Something was definitely broken, Kiba imagined as he pushed himself up with his only good arm. It felt like either his hand or a few fingers, maybe his nose. He smelled Akamaru on the other side of the room, probably coated with blood based on how thick the smell of it was. And...oh great, Ino was still up and mobile. Kiba tried to push himself up onto his feet but a sandaled foot roughly kicked his good arm and sent him sprawling again.

"It's over, Kiba," Ino stated, struggling to keep the strain out of her voice. Luckily, Kiba had his eyes closed or else he would have seen Ino's hand shaking as she fought to keep a steady grip on her kunai. The chakra pathways in her hands were fried and Ino knew it would take a few days to get them straightened out again. To keep the blade steady, she rested it on the fallen Genin's neck. There was little doubt in her mind that if Kiba decided to try and disarm her he would win.

The Inuzuka stiffened when he felt the steel on his skin. If he tried to move, Ino could easily kill him. His arm was busted up and his face was far too bloody from crashing into Akamaru's Gatsuuga to see. Ino's voice sounded tired, but hard. She just might do it. "Damn it," he cursed and Ino pressed the blade into his skin just a little more. "I...I...give up," Kiba finally sighed as his body went limp with defeat.

"Winner, Yamanaka Ino!" Hayate's sudden outcry sent Ino falling backwards in shock. The sickly Jounin was a sneaky one, that was for sure.

The young kunoichi leaned back with a sigh and rolled her neck, cracking several joints in the process. Kiba had put up a fight, that was for sure. "Hey, Biscuit," she called out, tapping the boy with her foot, "You caused me a lot of problems, you know? I didn't want to show any jutsu!"

Kiba chuckled into the dusty floor. "You're a pushy bitch, you know**that**? Complaining at me when I'm like this. I'll get you back when I heal up," he promised. The medics were already out on the floor with Akamaru while Kiba struggled to sit up and get onto the stretcher provided. At the very least he'd get onto it under his own power.

"Man, Ino's going to be even more troublesome now that she's won," Shikamaru sighed as he watched Kiba and the medics clear the floor. Honestly, he hadn't expected Ino to win, not that he'd ever tell her that. Kiba was one of the people to beat in this exam and to be taken out in the prelims was a feat to be sure. Looking at Asuma, Shikamaru could tell the man was smug in the fact that one of his students had surprised everyone else so much. Oh well, the old guy was entitled to a little gloating. That line of thinking was probably what kept Kurenai from launching herself at Asuma. He was sending quite a few smug looks her way.

Hayate sighed at how bloody the exam was getting. These kids were tearing each other up and it was only a month before the main exams. If one of them got seriously hurt winning and couldn't compete, then what would they do? As he was mulling this over, a technician shuffled over with a tiny bit of good news. The randomizer was fixed, it seems. "Good work," he told the nerdy man. Hey, wait, did he just hear someone cursing from above? Nah, probably nothing.

In the rafters, Tayuya was cursing a certain ninja info card-wielding egghead and his defective equipment. What, it could work after getting a rock smashed into it? What a piece of shit!

...yeah, definitely his imagination. "Ahem, the fifth preliminary match will now begin! The contestants are...**Aburame Shino and Sabaku no Temari! **Contestants to the ring."

Ino walked up the stairs as Shino and Temari squared-off. It was sure to be an interesting match, but bug boy didn't look to be in the best of shape. Hell, half his coat was burnt off. _'Wonder how that happened?'_ the kunoichi mused.

"Good match, Ino," Sakura complimented. Her voice was so quiet that the tired Yamanaka almost didn't hear her. However, in line with the plan to get back at Sakura for tricking her, Ino forced a smile and leaned on the nearby rail to speak with her pink-haired rival.

"Ah, it was nothing too bad. Just used up too much chakra," Ino said, dismissing of Kiba's performance. In all, it had been a pretty bad slug-fest. Her face was puffed up quite a lot and she was certain her right eye was black. At least her retina hadn't ruptured. "Dog Biscuit talks a better game than anything." She poignantly ignored the blank looks of her team as she double-checked the stitches on her neck. That one hit Kiba had gotten in had busted a few...nothing a medic couldn't fix later, though.

A sharp blast of wind interrupted the conversation and Ino looked over her shoulder at the fight. Shino's bugs were chasing the buff-looking kunoichi all around the ring but when they would almost get close enough to catch her, Temari would blast them away with her fan. "Bad match for Shino," Sakura commented and Ino had to agree. "He looks pretty rough before the match even started, though. I wonder what happened."

A few feet away, Naruto stifled a chuckle. Of course, it drew most everyone's attention and the blond rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Nothing, nothing! Honest!" he defended. The smile on his face gave him away, though.

"Yeah? Your lying, Naruto," Ino accused. "You know something..."

At fist, the other Genin wasn't going to answer but when Kurenai pinned him with her freaky eyes he cracked. Not like anyone could stand up to those freaky eyes. Spooky. "It's really not anything big, I just ran into his team in the forest," Naruto admitted. "Burnt up a few of Shino's bugs and _maybe_roughed-up Kiba a little."

Kurenai rolled her eyes and glared at Gai. The other Jounin, as youthful as he was, made a point to look anywhere but at the annoyed kunoichi. Not even he was crazy enough to get on the genjutsu master's bad side. "So that's why Hinata was so upset," Kurenai sighed. "Still, she said something about you using 'cheap tricks' to get away. Do you know what she was talking about, Naruto-kun?"

The young boy visibly flinched and everyone's eyebrows ticked upwards. However, Kakashi came to the rescue and ruffled his nephew's hair with a smile. "It was that new jutsu you were working on, right? It's pretty sneaky."

Still not convinced, but not willing to push the point, Kurenai turned her attention back to her student's fight and let Naruto off the hook...for the moment. That was enough for Naruto as he relaxed a bit after sending his uncle a thankful glance. Gai, however, was another story entirely.

"Yosh! A new technique! You shall have to demonstrate it in your match, perhaps against the youthful Lee!" he exclaimed. Lee nodded enthusiastically and pumped his fists in unison with his teacher while Tenten looked ready to crawl into a hole in the wall. How very embarrassing.

"Y-yeah, sure. I'll show you guys my...wonderfully sneaky technique in my match," Naruto stated. He hoped that Gai would be somewhat appeased and maybe even forget about the entire thing. Probably wasn't that lucky, though.

There was a collective wince from all present when they heard a loud thud below them. A quick check confirmed that it was Shino who was now being scrapped off of the wall by medics. Apparently Temari had finally caught him with one of her blasts. Now there was a nice Shino-shaped indention in the wall to add to all the other damage. At least it was a _cool _indention.

Hinata frowned at the sad display her teammates had shown. First Kiba loses to Yamanaka Ino of all people and now Shino lost to some foreign kunoichi. What did that say about her leadership abilities? Well, the battles were one on one so it's not like she had direct control over the action. Still, it was a bitter pill to swallow. The Hyuuga heiress gripped the railing as she watched the medics carry Shino away. The only thing left to do was to win her own match with overwhelming superiority. It was the only way to restore some semblance of honor to Team Eight.

"We will now begin the sixth match!" Hayate called out. With the randomizer working correctly the matches can proceed normally. The computer started to randomize from the remaining names before two more came up. Finally, a nice, quiet match. **"Ama Tenten vs. Sabaku no Kankuro! **Contestants to the ring."

Tenten rolled her arms and stretched a bit. Not exactly the best match, but it would be a decent enough workout. "I'm off, guys," the kunoichi stated as she walked away. The blunt way Tenten had said her goodbye made Gai sigh.

Naruto noticed his teacher's mood and quietly inquired, "Gai-sensei, what's wrong? You haven't been as loud as usual today."

The Jounin scratched his head and debated whether or not to put on a fake smile. No point, he imagined, as Naruto was a perspective student. "Tenten has been acting detached," he admitted only as loud as needed. It was a strange thing to hear Gai being so subdued. "You've noticed, right? I don't know what's wrong with her."

With a contemplative hum, Naruto nodded at his teacher and headed aver his teammate. Tenten was already off the stairs when he caught up.

"Tenten! Wait up a second!" he called out. The kunoichi paused and regarded the blond for a moment as he ran up to her. When it became obvious she was waiting on him to speak first, Naruto said, "I didn't get to tell you something. Don't lose."

The girl chuckled at the blunt statement, ignoring the impatient look Hayate was giving her. "That's it? I'm not going to lose, come on!"

Naruto laughed along with her. "I know I don't have to say it, but I guess I want to see how good you've gotten," he admitted before getting sheepish. "Heh, we've all been a little secretive with our training, you know? Team Two is the best team with the best people! We have to give everyone a good show if we're matched up. Wipe the floor with this guy!"

To say that Tenten was stunned would be a mild description. Speechless would be more accurate. Naruto grinned at her surprise and walked back up to the rest of Team Two. Before he could get too far, though, Tenten came to her senses. "I want to see what I can do against people like you and Lee!" she called out. "I'll prove that our Team only has the best in it!"

Lee let out a cheer at the sudden flurry of youthfulness and Gai did his signature thumbs up. The other teams mostly had only strange stares to pass along, but the resolve in Team Two was unshakable. Without burden, Tenten turned to her opponent with nothing but pure confidence. "Fair warning, you're going to lose," she told the strange Suna-nin standing opposite of her.

For his part, Kankuro was content to simply let all the dramatics get out of the way. Temari had won her match and Gaara was a guaranteed thing so he couldn't fail here. The mission called for as many agents to get into the competition as possible. Orochimaru's group didn't look to be in very good condition so it would be up to Suna. As he directed Karasu to place him on the floor, Kankuro wondered just what kind of specialty this girl had. She didn't seem too remarkable.

"The sixth match of the Chuunin preliminaries will now commence," Hayate informed the room. "Contestants...**begin**!"

Tenten immediately leapt backwards as she unleashed a hail of kunai at the Suna-nin. Lucky for Kankuro all of the projectiles were aimed at Karasu rather than himself, but it told him a few things. This girl was obviously a long-range fighter so she shouldn't be too good at taijutsu. While Kankuro himself wasn't the best hand-to-hand fighter, his direction of Karasu would work to his advantage. The puppet easily deflected the kunai with little damage so hopefully the girl would assume that he was a close-range type that wore armor.

The next barrage came from above and Karasu dodged to the side, away from Kankuro. The puppet charged in towards Tenten and the lithe kunoichi dodged a punch aimed at her skull. How the hell was this guy so fast, she wondered. Still, he was probably a taijutsu-type despite how pudgy he looked. No problem, Tenten thought with a smirk. When the Suna-nin came in once again, Tenten weaved around the kick and swept out his legs. Taijutsu wasn't her best forte' but being in Team Two had really drove the point home that she needed it. Also, how could a future Hokage not be good at everything?

Karasu almost didn't get vertical fast enough to dodge the spear aimed at his shoulder. From his forgotten position on the floor wrapped up like a mummy, Kankuro watched Tenten discard the scroll she had just summoned her weapon from. What was it with this village and weapons? Judging from just how many scrolls he saw in Tenten's pouch, he was in for a long fight if he simply waited for her to run out of tools. Basing how much she was pushing his puppet around, Kankuro knew that Karasu would break or be discovered before that happened. Well, there were still a few tricks to deal with her.

Tenten grunted with effort as another spear thrust was blocked by this crazy guy's arm. It was like the force wasn't even bothering him. Some sort of pain-suppressing pill or excellent armor, probably. Regardless, a clean hit on the face, neck, or torso would put him down. Firstly, his movement would have to be restricted. Suddenly backpedaling, Tenten tossed her spear at the Suna-nin. As expected, he swatted it away but he didn't catch the thin wire Tenten had attached. As it wedged itself in the floor several feet away, the kunoichi started running in circles to wrap the ninja up.

The first signs of trouble for Kankuro came from the sluggish response he was getting from his puppet. Being so far away, he couldn't see the thin wires that were now blocking its movement but the fact that he was having trouble was a sign enough that things were bad. Tenten pulled taunt just in time to catch the puppet before it could leap upwards to avoid the attack, binding it to the ground.

"Got you," the kunoichi declared with a smile. That wasn't too bad, actually. She pulled out kunai and walked up to the bound puppet. "You better give up before your struggling makes those wires start to cut."

'_Big mistake,' _Kankuro mused as he twitched one of his fingers. It would give him away, but so what. Karasu's head snapped backwards, much to Tenten's abject shock, and erupted in a cloud of purple gas. The cloud overtook her before she could escape and she inhaled some of the poison.

"A damn puppet?!" Tenten exclaimed once she would out of the cloud. She frantically looked around the ring for anything the puppeteer could hide behind until her eyes fell on the still-wrapped thing laying on the floor. "That means that...there you are!"

Kankuro frantically rolled as a hail of weapons peppered his position. Cutting the strings to Karasu, he darted out of his wrappings and ran for all his worth. Winning depended on dodging this girl long enough for the poison to set in. However, she hadn't taken in as much of the cloud as he had hopped so things didn't look too good. When a kunai caught him in the back of the knee, his running was over.

After ripping out the weapon, Kankuro rolled over to find an irate Tenten standing over him with a kunai to his throat. She was sweating profusely, likely from the poison setting in, but she could still kill him before that happened. "H-hey! If you kill me, you won't get the antidote!" Kankuro reasoned. When Tenten drew back a bit, he pushed his luck farther. "Give up and I'll give it to you. Kill me and you die. Simple as that."

The Suna-nin let out a small chuckle when Tenten drew back. "That's more like it," he sighed as he got back to his feet. The wound in his leg was shallow and would probably heal before the main event matches. Perfect. "Now, call that examiner over here and I'll-"

Tenten's fist roughly cut the other Genin off. Kankuro's head snapped back almost as much as his puppets before he hit the ground and skidded a few feet before coming to rest. He fought to lift his head off the ground and practically snarled, "What the hell?! Do you want to die?"

"I can't...lose now!" Tenten responded, nearly falling over herself. She was hunched over and breathing heavily but the fire in her eyes was burning bright. Defiance, pride, and rage were all mixed into one furious expression. "If I give up because of some second-rate poison, I'll never be the things I want to be! I can't let someone like you blemish me." Kankuro obviously had more to say on the matter but Tenten's foot cut him off.

Hayate walked over and checked the Suna-nin. As expected, he was out cold. Tenten had won, but at what price the Jounin wondered. **"Winner of the sixth match, Ama Tenten!"**

Most of the cheers were coming from her team, but Tenten didn't care. She relished the feeling of actual accomplishment for a moment before starting to stagger towards the medic bay under the stairs. Until she hit those doors, though, she held her head up and walked as steadily as possible.

From the podium, the Hokage watched Tenten collapse as soon as the eyes of the spectators on the balcony were blocked. "A true shinobi of Konoha," he mumbled to himself. Behind him, Anko was inclined to agree.

"I know what kind of poison that was, Hokage-sama," Anko stated. "I'll go make sure the medics give her the right one."

The elderly man puffed his pipe a bit before nodding. "After you do that, you're dismissed. Feel free to join Kakashi and Naruto up on the balcony. His match will probably come up soon."

Anko gave the Hokage a lopsided smile before hopping off the stage. Hayate was just calling out the next match as she passed him but it wasn't going to be very interesting in her opinion.

"The seventh match of the Chuunin preliminaries will now begin!" the Jounin called out. **"Hyuuga Neji vs. Akimichi Choji!" **Poor Choji, Ino was already dragging him down to the floor.

As the match was trying to get underway, Choji was surprisingly good at holding onto the railing, Naruto wandered down to the medical bay. He knew he should probably watch Neji fight in order to deal with Hinata later on but Tenten had been in rough shape. When he saw Anko coming as well, he fell in beside his favorite Jounin.

"Hebi-chan, what are you doing?" he asked. "Don't you have...examiner stuff or something?" Not that he was complaining. Any chance to see Anko was a good one. She seemed to be in a decent mood, as well, which was always a plus.

The Special Jounin glanced at her unofficial student with blank eyes. Her fight with Orochimaru had opened doors that she had firmly shut over a year ago during their little escapade with Uchiha Itachi and she was in no way wanting to go to that place again. What was more, the Snake Sannin was probably still lurking around somewhere and since he had spies in the village, getting too close to Naruto would put him in danger.

Instead of directly responding, Anko rummaged through her coat and pulled out a small vial of liquid. "Hey, give this to the medics in there, brat. It's for Tenten's condition," she ordered before turning to walk up the stairs. Naruto called after her but she merely waved to him over her shoulder, much to his aggravation. Every time he would gain an inch with Anko lately she would step back a yard.

Sighing at his misfortune when it came to the fairer sex, but still wanting to make sure his teammate was alright, Naruto continued on to the medical wing alone. Behind him he could hear Neji winding up some sort of speech about destiny so Naruto figured he would have a few minutes before the fight was over. It had to be a required trait to be long-winded when you were a Hyuuga.

As expected, Tenten was conked-out on one of the medical cots. There was a fair amount of blood around that Naruto guessed belonged to Kiba. The faint smell of dog gave it away. There was a medic looking through a chart beside her, but other than that they were pretty much alone.

"Hey," Naruto called out to the short medic-nin, "Anko-sama told me to give this to you for Tenten."

The short man looked over the vial and probed it with a scanning jutsu. "Ah, the antidote. We were having trouble pinning down what poison was used. Mitarashi Anko gave you this? She would know about it, then." The correct dosage was soon dolled out and Tenten regained a little color in her cheeks. "She just needs some rest now. I can give you a few minutes before we take her to the hospital." With that, the medic excused himself while Naruto thanked him.

Tenten stirred a bit in response to Naruto's footsteps getting closer. "Hey," she said as her eyes fluttered open. "What the hell was in that cloud, huh?"

Naruto lopsidedly smiled at the question and leaned up against the wall beside Tenten's bedside. "Yeah, lucky that Hebi-chan had an antidote for you."

There was a slight pause from Tenten before she responded, "Anko had an antidote? I guess I should thank her when I get out of here." It was no secret that Tenten had taken a dislike to Anko over the years. The older woman never fit her idea of a model kunoichi. Still, Anko was always around for a good lesson and, as shown here, versed on some of the more advanced things to know.

"So...you're the first one in the finals, then. Pretty good!" Naruto praised. The Genin really didn't know what kind of mood Tenten would be in so he was treading lightly.

Tenten grunted as she propped herself up. That antidote was working fairly well and she didn't want to be bed-ridden any longer than necessary. When Naruto noticed, though, he put on a worried face. "Don't push yourself, the match is over. Relax some!" he said.

The kunoichi frowned as she fully sat up on her cot. "I can't relax, Naruto! The Hokage is watching, you know. I have to show him the best I have or I'll never advance to Chuunin." She was annoyed, really. Naruto had such a carefree attitude when it came to promotion. "Just why are you here, Naruto?" she finally sighed.

Surprised, Naruto stepped back from the cot. "What are you talking about? I'm here for the team and to have some fun," he responded.

"For fun," Tenten repeated to herself. "Why are you even a ninja, Naruto? You could have fun as a civilian!" With a little effort, the young girl got to her feet. Her joints were a little sore but all-in-all things were pretty good. "Naruto, if you're only here for us then you shouldn't be here. You don't take this calling seriously!"

The blond gave his teammate a level stare as she leaned up against the wall adjacent from him. He could hear Choji rolling around in the background, the match must be in full-swing then. But no, he didn't get to watch it. "Get to the point, Tenten! I have fun, so what? I'm here with you and Lee so what's the problem? I want to be here!"

"That's not the point!" Tenten responded back just as vehemently. "_**Why**_are you here? I'm here to advance so I can be the first female Hokage one day. Lee's here to prove to everyone that he can be just as good as them. You? You're here to 'have fun' and help us. Isn't there anything else?" she asked. "It...I don't know...degrades the exams if the only reason you're here is because you had nothing better to do. You don't even take it seriously."

As much as he would have liked to deny it, Naruto couldn't find the words. Just some kind of rebuttal would be enough, some sort of counter-point. So what if he was only here because the rest of the team was? Kakashi had always said that teammates come first. Wasn't that enough?

A horrifying scream cut the conversation short and a few medics rushed past the two Genin. Naruto leaned back so he could look at the ring and immediately wished he didn't. The entire place had gained a red tint and the smell of blood was overwhelming. In the middle of the ring, the stoic Gaara was just beginning to walk away from a scowling Hayate. Oddly, while everyone else had at least a little blood on them, Gaara was clean.

"What is it?" Tenten asked as she walked over to Naruto so she could get a look. When she did, her reaction was much the same as her teammate's. "It was a bloodbath..." she said to herself. She looked away when the medics brought in what was left of Gaara's opponent. Even with the blanket over the body, both Genin recognized the crushed metal construct on the limp arm that was handing from the stretcher.

"He was that Oto-nin," Naruto stated. It was a member of the team Tayuya had told him to watch out for and he was mangled so badly? Just what the hell was Gaara? "Bet you're glad you got his teammate instead of him, huh?" he asked Tenten with a laugh.

The young girl didn't answer but instead took a deep breath and started walking past a confused Naruto. "If I have to fight him, I will," she stated before she was out of doorway. "See, that's what's different about us. I'd fight someone like Gaara for my dream. Lee would too, you know. Why would you fight him? For fun?" she asked. With a sigh, she shook her head and walked out of view. "I'll see you up on the balcony," were her final words her teammate heard.

Naruto stared off into the space Tenten had occupied long after she was gone. She didn't have a point...did she? No way Tenten would willingly fight something that could splatter her all over the place. Maybe Lee, but he was crazy like that.

'_What does she know?'_ Naruto asked himself. Tenten had been the one pulling the least slack in the team recently. Always off training by herself, never giving her best in the missions, and never going out with the team to lunch or anything anymore. Then again, neither had Lee or Gai. Ever since Lee did that special Lotus training, he would always be off training, too.

Was that it? Was that what Tenten had meant, a lack of training? Naruto had trained for years to get to this point. Maybe...maybe that wasn't it. Tenten had said she was fighting for her dreams. Did Naruto have any dreams? Thinking about it, the only ones that came to mind were getting Anko to recognize him and having fun. "Is that all there is to my life?" Naruto wondered aloud. Lee was fighting to prove his existence and Tenten wanted to bring about real change. Was that so much better than wanting to be around his friends?

"No, Tenten's right...I could do that as a civilian," Naruto admitted. Darn her for bringing this up in the middle of the exam! There had to be more to it, there just had to be. When he thought about it, though, Naruto found he hadn't really worked hard to get where he was. His academy grades were average and he would never work on the things he didn't want to. That was probably why his taijutsu and genjutsu skills were sorely lacking. Just picking up flashy jutsu to look impressive and show off, basically. "Damn pathetic," Naruto snarled as he slammed his fist into the wall of the infirmary.

Hayate's voice cut through the cloud of anger fogging the boy's mind long enough for Naruto to recognize Lee's name being called. With his lips a grim line, the Uchiha walked to the hallway leading to the ring to watch his teammate's match. Naruto just wasn't ready to join the others up on the balcony.

Lee's opponent, one of Kabuto's teammates, strolled down the stairs. He was a strange one, Naruto noted. The Sharingan wasn't even needed for Naruto to tell that this Genin's movements were strange. More fluid, lithe, not used to being held in check for some reason. Still, despite whatever strange physical condition this guy had, Naruto knew his teammate would win. Indeed, as he jumped down from the railing amid shouts of encouragement from Gai, Lee looked confident. Was this what Tenten was talking about? Some kind of purpose for continuing on that he lacked?

As the opening blows started, Naruto couldn't help but compare the competition here to his own past fights. Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, and even Shikamaru looked driven; the latter even if he didn't show it during the match. What made them fight so hard? Ino had been his friend for over a year now and she didn't ever seem particularly motivated. Well, except when it came to training or Sasuke. She would be like Lee, then. Trying to show everyone what she could do and train to do so. Wasn't that what he was doing, Naruto wondered. Somehow, it didn't have the same ring to it.

The match was progressing quickly. Lee, not even bothering to take off his weights, was dominating his opponent. Misumi, as Naruto expected, was fighting by dislocating his bones and using them as a surprisingly-good grappling style. Unfortunately for him, Lee was much too fast to be caught. Misumi would probably only last another few minutes before his body couldn't take any more punishment. The confident look on Lee's face hadn't left yet, not even when a lucky hit would land. Smiling through the bruises, as it were.

"Is that because his purpose is driving him forward?" Naruto wondered. Wanting to be with friends and help them couldn't give Lee that kind of drive. No, only a real purpose could push someone that far.

All the thinking was starting to rattle Naruto's brain so the young Genin decided to just enjoy the fight and put all this destiny business on the back-burner for the time being. Somehow, Misumi managed to wrap his limbs around Lee's leg and the boy was doing his best to shake the creepy Genin off. It was kind of pathetic, really. Lee had both hands on the ground and a leg up in the air, shaking it madly. Finally, gravity and frantic shaking disrupted Misumi's hold on his opponent and he was sent up into the air. Naruto winced as Lee caught him with a devastating uppercut on the way down. It was a really good thing that the poor Genin didn't have many bones, at least his jaw would heal quicker.

'_Who needs to fight with a purpose when all these guys suck?' _Naruto wondered. Yeah, this wouldn't be too bad. If he could catch another Misumi there wouldn't be a problem at all. He could simply trounce him and move on. Now...who was left that hadn't fought yet...

"...This next mach should be good," Kurenai mused, trying to sound nonchalant. It didn't work, of course, as Kurenai had as much acting ability as Anko had patience. There was a reason she had studied so hard with genjutsu, after all.

"It'll be a bloodbath," Anko declared with a happy chirp. The joy with which she replied caused most of the Genin took a solid step away from the insane Jounin. "Oh come on, this exam has been lacking in blood and guts! That Gaara head job has the right idea!" the woman defended when she noticed a few of the looks.

Kakashi shuddered at how happy Anko was at the prospect of blood. "Anko...sometimes I really worry..." Kakashi started.

"About me?" she asked, cutting him off.

"...no, about how much random crazy you can transfer to other people per hour. With you and the Suna team here, I think we might be overexposed." That little comedic gem earned Kakashi a solid punch in the head. Most everyone agreed with him, however, but they avoided saying as much. No one needed more injuries to add to the ones they already had.

Sadly, Anko's assault was interrupted by an impromptu visit by an unconscious Misumi. The poor Genin had been completely knocked out of the ring by Lee's last attack. Fortunately for him, though, Kakashi's head was there to break his fall. Anko sniffed and dusted her hands. She simply said, "Karma. It's a bitch," before rolling Misumi off of his landing pad.

The Jounin grumbled as he got back up, wincing when Gai started cheering right next to his ear. Loudly. "Gai, I think he can hear you even if you're not that loud."

"But we must cheer! The overwhelming youth from my team is threatening to devour this entire building with it's burning passion!" In Gai world, that made sense; everyone else simply took another collective step away from yet another crazy Jounin.

With that, Naruto stepped out of the shadows of the hallway and clapped for his friend. "Easy match, right?" he asked as Lee walked up to him. "Too bad you didn't get someone interesting."

Lee shook his head, happy as could be. "This was a great fight! My opponent put his all into the match and that's all that matters! I must go congratulate him, not mock!"

That was a shock to the other Genin. "What? He didn't stand a chance, though. Didn't you want to show-off a little? I know you and Gai-sensei were working on something special," Naruto pointed out. If it were him in that match, Naruto would have been upset with the pathetic showing that Misumi had presented.

"Naruto-kun, so long as both of us put our all into what we believe in, the match was a success," Lee stated in a rare quiet tone. "I fight to prove that I am a true ninja of Konoha, not to become the very thing I hated back in the Academy. Not...someone who only wants to impress others. I want Gai-sensei to be proud of me, but he's proud of me always! I'm proving my worth through my youthful spirit, not how badly I can beat my opponent. You know that, right?" Before Naruto could answer, Lee was called up to the balcony by an exuberant Tenten.

The young blond boy looked up at his team, friends, and family. Tenten was congratulating Lee on his match along with Gai; Naruto could feel her confidence and pride even from where he was standing. Lee was helping his battered opponent stand, much to Misumi's discomfort. The other Jounins were talking to each other in subdued voices and he could feel a few of their eyes lingering on him.

'_Do they expect me to put on a show?' _Naruto asked himself. As he scanned more and more of the crowd, he noticed most eyes on him. The other Genin were lined up on the railing, smiling and talking adamantly. _'Are they...waiting to be impressed? Like they were with Sasuke?' _Was that it? Well, why not? He was the grandson of the Hokage, the person to go to if you wanted to witness good performance. "No, no...there's more to me than that," Naruto told himself, almost desperately.

Deep inside his psyche, something chuckled. Something dark, malevolent, and very interested in this line of thinking.

"And now, the last match of the Chuunin Exams!" Hayate's voice cut through the breakdown Naruto was having and the world went back into focus. Slowly, painfully, the young teen's eyes locked onto the randomizer which was blinking out the last thing he wanted to see. "Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyuuga Hinata," Naruto whispered as Hayate announced it.

Somewhere off in the distance Naruto could hear his team shouting encouragement. Somewhere deep inside, some part of him cared. Not now, though. Not when so many things were still unresolved within.

Up on the balcony, Kakashi noticed that his nephew was fairly vacant as he slowly walked into the center of the ring. Something was definitely bothering him but no one seemed to notice...well, other than Gai and Anko. Gai looked about as concerned as Kakashi himself was while Anko's face was a grim mask of forced indifference. _'I wonder if she has an idea of what's wrong...' _Kakashi mused. As he watched Hinata leap over the railing, the Jounin hoped that whatever was bothering his nephew would resolve itself quickly. If not, Naruto would be in for a rough fight. The Hyuuga genius wasn't someone to give a handicap to before the match even starts.

Naruto didn't bother looking up at the crowd. Even with his match glaring right in front of him, Naruto couldn't keep his mind on things. One of the odd things he did notice, the state of the ring, only caused another flurry of thought. _'All of this was done by people who put their lives on the line for the things they believe in,' _he told himself. The will of fire, that his grandfather believed so fully in, was on grand display all around. _'What am I, though? The ego of fire?'_

"You're ignoring me! Bad move!"

Naruto snapped back to reality just in time to get slammed in the stomach by an irate Hinata. While not packing much raw power, Naruto could feel a foreign chakra invading his system before he could feel nothing. On instinct, his body moved to block the follow-up and he leapt back to add some distance.

"Juuken," Naruto snarled once he landed. So, one of his chakra points had been sealed by that hit. From the way Hinata was frowning, the Uchiha guessed that she had missed her mark. Judging from the position of the blow, it was probably a major organ. No kiddy gloves this time, it seemed. "How boring, trying to end the fight with one hit? No way!"

Hinata scoffed as Naruto took stance. "That is a pathetic style you're using. It's academy-level in the hands of someone with talent; with you it's nothing but an open door to pain." She could see, with her eyes, that Naruto was subtly adjusting his chakra to reinforce the area she had hit. He had talent with chakra, although that might be more a gift of his blood than any real ability. "You make us, the true geniuses of Konoha, look pathetic. Show some breeding!"

With an audible growl, Naruto blindly charged. It was extremely dumb, but all the boy could see was red at the moment. "What would you know?!" he demanded as Hinata ducked out of the way of his strikes. With every dodge, Naruto was getting more and more wound up and it showed in the ferocity of his attacks, even if they did lack the ability to hit his opponent.

"How could someone like you be a genius?" the Hyuuga heiress sneered as she swatted Naruto's fist out of her way. "You aren't even thinking, are you?" A few taps to the boy's legs sent him to the ground. "Look at yourself. How could someone like you be from that family? A disgrace."

Yes, a disgrace, Naruto's mind yelled. This is what everyone must be thinking at this point. His team, his friends, his family, Anko...all of them. _'That's why Anko doesn't want to be around me anymore,' _Naruto told himself, _'I live for absolutely nothing!'_

"What the hell is Naruto doing?!" Anko snarled as she leaned over the railing to get a better look. "Idiot! He can't fight like that against her!" Her worry only increased when Hinata's fists took on the eerie blue tint of chakra. "Damn it, move!" Anko shouted.

Her shout, however, did not reach Naruto in time. Hinata's palms connected squarely with the boy's shoulders, knocking him back into the ring's wall. Slowly and without resistance, Naruto slid downwards until he was sitting with the wall propping him up. Staring down at the floor, the young Genin didn't even respond to the stinging now searing up both arms.

Hinata flicked her head in distain. "Yes, why don't you move," she taunted, laughing when Naruto didn't respond. "How sad, you can't do anything, can you? Not even with a Jounin trying to coach you from the sidelines. Just like a child playing a game, you have no idea what you're doing."

At those words, Naruto went ridged. Even his breathing was still as for the first time his opponent had his undivided attention.

Hinata, however, didn't notice and continued with her rant. "Favoritism much? You should know when to be silent!" she hissed as she craned her head up at Anko. Their eyes met and Kakashi had to subtly move himself closer to the railing incase Anko actually leapt down at the girl. "You are no better than the trash in the branch family, traitor. You could at least try and pretend you're following the rules."

"Take that back..." Naruto whispered. His hands were digging so hard into the stone floor that they were starting to drip blood.

Finally, the other Genin noticed that her opponent was still conscious. When she saw the blood, though, Hinata assumed that the end was near. "And you, training under her, learning those techniques. I, as the future heir of the oldest and most respected clan, know what you are. Your fate will meet with a short road, just like your teacher. That, and that alone, shall be your destiny."

Slowly, painfully, it seemed, Naruto rose. His hitai-et fell from his neck and his hair matted by sweat covered his eyes. "I don't care what you say about me, but you take everything you said about Anko back." When his head finally rose to meet Hinata's eyes, she was hit with a brutal wave of killing intent. Even those up on the balcony or in the rafters felt it. "Take it back, now! Do you understand me?!"

Pure, unadultured malice, churning in the air around Hinata just as the blood-red Sharingan swirled in Naruto's eyes.

Those on the opposite side of the ring had a clear view of Naruto's face. The Suna-nin watched with curiosity while Orochimaru laughed quietly to himself. _That _blood was boiling now and all it took was a few stray words. Delicious.

Despite how she might have felt, Hyuuga Hinata was above showing it on her face. Fighting back the nausea caused by directed killing intent, she stood proud and retook her stance. "Finally, you're serious," she said, "Come, show me what your clan has left in this world. I'll prove that fate left you behind."

The blows came faster than those of lesser ability could see at first. Naruto's punches were blurs of the gray from his coat sleeve. Hinata started backtracking as her own hands were working to deflect each hit, trying to create an opening. To her ire, however, Naruto was proving to be frustratingly better at deflecting hits himself and the two simply traded blows for a solid minute before Hinata grew tired of the back and forth.

"Kaiten!" The small dome of pure chakra sent Naruto skidding backwards and Hinata gained a small bit of repose. Her hits were getting less and less frequent, not that she didn't understand why. Still, Hinata had to conceal that fact that she was in doubt from her opponent. "I thought those eyes could do more than that," she spat in defiance.

Up on the balcony, most of the Genin were trying to figure out what Hinata was talking about. Naruto had his back to them the entire time so getting a look at his eyes wasn't possible.

"Kakashi, Gai...what is Hinata talking about?" Kurenai asked. She had her own opinions but was subtly sizing the other Jounin up. Kakashi, as expected, didn't change at all. His face was the same dull mask as always. Well, he did used to be in ANBU so it was expected. The other one, however...

"...what do you mean?" Gai asked, clearly trying to keep a level face. There were reasons that he never joined in on the weekly Jounin poker tournaments. "What could possibly be wrong with my student's youthful eyes?"

Tenten felt the need to edge closer to her teacher and elbow him hard in the ribs. The second Naruto turned around everyone would know anyway, no point in letting the cat out of the bag any sooner. "What Gai-sensei means is that we should all just watch the match. Right, Sensei?" Sheepishly, the man nodded and clammed up. The damage was already done, though, as everyone looked down at Naruto with renewed interest.

Naruto could feel their eyes on him as he and Hinata paced before one another. "I said to apologize," he once again ordered. Unlike his earlier attack, the boy seemed more focused and controlled.

_'He's back on his game...I have to keep him angry, unfocused, and then land a hit that will take him out,'_ Hinata mused. To that end, she laughed and said, "Apologize for what? Telling the truth?" She smirked when Naruto's feet hitched in place. "She's a traitor who was the student of the man that wished to destroy Konoha. And you...you're even worse than her."

Slowly, in that swirling maw of raw hatred and malice that defined Naruto's gaze at that moment, a small pool of black started to bleed through the red. "Take...take that back right now..." the Genin managed to ground out between his clenched teeth. His sanity was still there, if only a sliver.

When Hinata slowly shook her head with that same, condescending smirk on her lips, the dam broke. Literally roaring out of his stupor, Naruto rushed the awaiting Hyuuga. However, to Hinata's surprise, her opponent's moves did not get more disorganized or emotion like she had expected. Instead, Naruto's eyes seemed to bury into hers, giving the illusion that she was the only thing he cared about at the moment. It was more than a little unnerving.

Ever determined, however, Hinata's palms lit up with chakra. Naruto leapt backwards, not missing a beat, and ran through a set of seals. "_**Raiton: Denryuu no Jutsu." **_Calm and imposing, Naruto's hands lit up with a sickly yellow glow as tendrils of electricity lanced between his fingers. "And now, I'm going to kill you." The words carried no heat or malice, only casual conviction. It was enough to unnerve anyone who had talked to Naruto before.

'_He's lost to the monster lurking in his blood,' _the Hokage thought to himself, _'Or, did he just give himself up to it voluntarily?' _Regardless, it was obvious that Naruto had changed. If what he saw of his grandson's eyes was correct, then the Sharingan had evolved into its final natural stage. Still, a few stray comments about Anko shouldn't have triggered such a reaction. Certainly not to the point of actually trying to kill someone over them. The Sandaime had to wonder just what happened in that infirmary to provoke Naruto this much.

Hinata weaved out of the way of Naruto's fist as a crackling line of lighting cut its way through the space she had just been occupying. If that would have hit...well, she really didn't want to think about it. Unfortunately, the moment her mind strayed Naruto's fist crashed into her jaw. The impact itself was jarring enough, but the added sting of several hundred volts assaulting her system was what really sent her reeling. Once she skidded to a halt, Hinata took a deep breath and started releasing chakra. "Try that again, I dare you," she snarled.

Although he didn't know what Hinata was trying to do, Naruto sprinted towards her. When his first kick strike landed, the Uchiha's fist was simply redirected by the chakra. Hinata didn't let the chance slip by as she expelled the chakra around her to push her opponent off balance.

"And now you find out why the Uchiha are dead and the Hyuuga still live!" Lightning fast, Hinata ducked down and exploded into motion! "Hakke two hands!" Naruto was pushed farther backwards by the dual impact. Even though he could see the blows, his chakra was seemingly going haywire and avoiding them was impossible, even for him. "Hakke four hands! Eight hands!" The twelve successive blows backed the boy up into the wall, completely open to more punishment. "Sixteen! Thirty-two! Sixty-four hands!"

Naruto grunted as he slid downward off of the wall. Hinata, breathing heavily but still ready for more, backed up and went back into stance. "That is the limit of your inheritance. Accept it and repent, perhaps you will find redemption before you die in the future. I doubt it, though."

Those up on the balcony had clearly heard what was said during the match. "Uchiha?" Sasuke mumbled to himself. Looking up at Kakashi, the boy searched for some kind of explanation. "No...no, she's wrong. There are only two Uchiha left alive."

Kurenai, who was closer to Kakashi than the rest of his team, looked over at the other Jounin in abject shock. "Kakashi, Hinata isn't one to lie like that, just what have you been hiding?!" she demanded. Those around her looked up at the unusually quiet Jounin in shock. Could it actually be possible? In the quiet pause of everyone waiting for a answer, Anko leaned farther over the ring, her eyes wide with shock...she could almost hear Naruto's mind snapping.

Quiet laughing cut through the silence of the area and all eyes turned back to the ring where Naruto's body was lighting shaking. Hinata was even more in shock than the audience. "You...it's not possible..." she whispered as Naruto rose from the ground. That only made Naruto's laughter grow in intensity and insanity. It was haunting.

"You think that your eyes can beat mine? Idiot." Naruto brushed himself off, taking the time to pick individual pieces of stone from his coat. When he locked eyes with the Hyuuga, his psychotic smile only widened as he sensed the fear coming off of her. "As if I couldn't avoid you hitting anything important. These eyes are far above what you could hope to ever beat. Oh...but you did draw blood..." The boy looked down at a bruise on his arm that had split open, probably early in the match. Dabbing his finger in the red liquid, he brought it to his lips to drink gleefully. "Beautiful, fresh blood. Hinata-chan, **lets bleed together**!"

At that moment, the walls and floor of the arena started to shake and split. To Hinata's horror and awe, a length of chain burst its way out of the stone and wrapped around her neck, drawing taunt. The purpose of Naruto's opossum playing became evident as his hand fed chakra into a small hole he had been covering when seated. A simple feint with deadly results.

'_That's...!'_Anko couldn't believe her eyes as she watched Naruto toss one end of the chain over the rafters on the ceiling. With a deft pull, Hinata was suspended over the arena by her neck. Kurenai, who was standing slighting behind her, was obviously having to restrain herself as Hinata thrashed around in the air, trying to free herself. Kakashi seemed to be struggling to believe what his eye was telling him and Anko had to agree, this was...sadistic.

"Ah, what's wrong, Hinata-chan? You're not enjoying our game now?" Naruto asked as he gave a small tug on his kusari-fundo. "You need to loosen up! This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't 'your destiny', right?" The girl let out a strangled cry as Naruto ran some electrical current up the chain, lighting Hinata up like the pain end of a cattle prod. Just as her screaming reached a new height, the voltage stopped and the chain gave a little slack as Naruto calmly walked towards his captive. "Shhh...it's alright," he whispered before savagely driving his fist into the girl's mouth, splitting her lip open. "Ah, there's that wonderful blood. Let's have a taste..." Just as he was about to take a drink, a strong arm had him in a headlock and the chain was wrenched from his fingers.

Kakashi slowly let the battered girl down into Kurenai's arms as he kept a firm hold on his nephew. Still, even held as he was, Naruto's hand still snaked out to brush Hinata's jaw. "As delicious as I thought it'd be, Hinata-chan," Naruto cooed as a visibly disturbed Hayate called the match in Naruto's favor.

Anko stumbled backwards until she hit the wall. _'That...that wasn't Naruto...'_ she thought. "What the hell happened to him?" That question was mirrored by more than one person present. Off on the stage, the Sandaime was doing his level best to remain calm.

Although he had seen many more unstable people during his long life, seeing such a streak in his own grandson, blood relation or not, was a bitter pill to swallow. _'It's not so bad, though. He did win the match,' _the old Hokage reminded himself. Unlike many of the more idealistic shinobi of the newer generation, the Sandaime knew the world required a certain amount of insanity to get through it. After all, he himself was almost looking forward to seeing his dear old student, Orochimaru, again even if he would have to kill him. _'No, we live in a glass world, none of us should throw rocks.' _He did worry about the way Kakashi was looking at the boy, though.

Once Hinata was safely out of the arena, Kakashi eased up on his hold and allowed Naruto to escape. "Just...what was that..." he could barely put the question into words.

Naruto turned around and regarded his uncle with the same wild look he had sported during the match. It was a look much like the one the Hokage had described Naruto has having during his fight against the Kumo-nin that had abducted him.

"What's wrong, uncle? You should be happy I won the match." The condescending tone wasn't lost on the Jounin and he looked down at his nephew with even more surprise.

Choosing his words carefully, as to not rile up Naruto even further, Kakashi answered, "Wasn't it a bit...excessive for a preliminary match?" His visible eye narrowed in thought as Naruto's expression went blank. What was that about?

Naruto blinked and turned his head to watch Hinata being treated inside the medical bay under the balcony. "People wanted a show, so I gave them one," is all the boy said in response, greatly confusing his uncle. With that, he shrugged Kakashi's hand from his shoulder and started to walk over to the podium where everyone else was milling around. Subtly, he brought his blood-drenched fingers up to his mouth to lick the remaining blood off. "A show is always best when the actors mix reality with the part they are supposed to play," Naruto whispered to himself, a bloodthirsty grin crawling over his face.

"What the hell are you, Uzumaki Naruto?" a voice called out.

The blond Genin looked over at the scowling face of Uchiha Sasuke with a grin. "What do you think I am?" he countered.

Sasuke shrugged, stepping out from his team defiantly. "I personally think you're a psychopath but your opponent thought you were something else. Something there is no possibility of you being." Tenten and Lee warily looked between the two and subtly nodded to each other to be ready incase either Uchiha started something. They would, of course, back up their teammate and judging from how Sakura and Neji tensed, they would do the same.

However, Naruto confused the situation with a dark chuckle. "If I can't be what you expect, then why ask me at all?" Brushing past his team, he made his way up to the front but not before calling out behind him, "Make it to the finals and maybe you'll see exactly what I am, _Sa-su-ke-kun_." With a scoff, Sasuke walked back over to the other side of the room, content in his belief that there was no way such a person could share his blood. Hyuuga Hinata had to be mistaken.

As the Hokage explained what was expected of the group of finalists, Anko walked down to where Kakashi was leaned up inside the hallway leading to the infirmary. He was periodically looking between the bed-ridden Hinata and Naruto, obviously scowling under his mask. When he noticed Anko, his mood only darkened.

"Are you content yet, Anko?" he asked out of the blue, catching the Special Jounin by surprise. Before she could ask what the hell that was supposed to mean, he continued, "Naruto has turned out just like you now. I don't know what you did to him, but he...he isn't what he was only a few hours ago! What did you say to him before his match?!"

Anko glared in return to the accusation and grabbed the man by his collar. "I didn't do shit to him," she growled, "He just snapped. That Hyuuga girl was spouting all kinds of things to get under his skin!" Anko's own anger and frustration was starting to get to her and the Heaven Seal on her neck started to burn. It took a great deal of concentration to keep it from activating right then and there.

Kakashi roughly swatted away the hand holding him. "This didn't just happen. That wasn't a fight, it was a beating. He was about to_bleed _her. I only know two people who enjoy things like that." He didn't need to point out exactly who those two people were. "I've overlooked this...infatuation you have with Naruto for the last few years. Don't go near him again." With that said, Kakashi pushed his way past the stunned Anko, intent on catching the Hokage in his office. Perhaps it wasn't too late to undo some of this damage before it went too hard. Never would he let teammate's son, their legacy, turn into the monster he saw today. This he swore.

Both Jounin were unaware, however, of the third party with an interest in these events. Above the medical bay, up on the balcony, the Snake Sannin smiled quietly to himself. "What a web you have built around yourself, Anko-chan," Orochimaru mused. Perhaps it was time he took a more..._active _role in his poor, neglected student's life? After all, he had a month's worth of time to kill before the main event...

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Well, that's all for this chapter! 20,000 words, a new Black Sheep record. Thanks to all the help from all the incredibly talented writers that helped me out with this chapter. Brainstorming, pre-reviewing, and just encouragement to get it done. You know who you are, you losers. 


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